Department for Transport

Transport: Dover

Charlie Elphicke: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the transport infrastructure capital account spending has been in Dover constituency in each year between 2009 and 2018.

Jesse Norman: Transport capital funding from Government is allocated to local authorities at upper tier level, in this case Kent County Council (KCC). The Department does not hold figures for the Dover Constituency. The total capital expenditure on highways and transport (from all funding sources) as reported by KCC can be found in the table below.YearKent2008/09£73,783K2009/10£86,001K2010/11£89,584K2011/12£54,839K2012/13£48,450K2013/14£112,115K2014/15£60,303K2015/16£54,665K2016/17£77,794K2017/18£63,556K  We have also provided Kent County Council with significant extra funding to assist with the preparations for if the UK leaves the EU without a deal. This is part of the Operation Brock contingency planning.

Cycling and Walking: Finance

Alex Sobel: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Government provides ring-fenced funding to help local authorities implement local cycling and walking infrastructure plans other than those funds that are made available for transport infrastructure and cycling promotion schemes identified by the cycling and walking investment strategy.

Jesse Norman: There is currently no ring-fenced funding set aside for the implementation of Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plans, but there are a large number of other funding avenues open to local authorities to support the delivery of their plans. These include the Transforming Cities Fund, Future High Streets Fund, Housing Infrastructure Fund and Clean Air Fund. In total, almost £2 billion is being invested in cycling and walking over this Parliament, and spending on cycling and walking in England has doubled from £3.50 per head to almost £7 per head over the current Spending Review period. Decisions on future funding for cycling and walking will be made in the context of the forthcoming Spending Review.

Great Western Railway Line: Electrification

Thangam Debbonaire: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the effect of the decision to defer electrification of the Filton Bank section of railway on the health of residents along that line.

Andrew Jones: Running in diesel mode, the new Class 800 IEP trains are significantly more efficient, producing lower CO₂ and nitrogen oxides than a legacy intercity diesel train. Their engines meet the latest European emissions standards.The four-tracking project at Filton Bank has already brought performance improvements, increasing capacity and contributing to reducing end-to-end journey times for Cross Country and Bristol to London services.

Taxis: Disability

Stephen Kerr: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what guidance his Department has issued to private hire and other licensed taxi drivers to support disabled passengers (a) with and (b) without guide dogs, and whether he has plans to review that guidance.

Ms Nusrat Ghani: Responsibility for ensuring that taxi and private hire vehicle (PHV) drivers understand the rights and requirements of disabled passengers, including through effective training and communication, rests with respective local licensing authorities. Ministers are considering the report of the Chair of the Task and Finish Group on Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle Licensing, including the recommendation that disability awareness training should be mandatory in all areas. A Government response will be issued in due course. We are also undertaking research to understand why disabled people sometimes still face discriminatory behaviour when using taxis and PHVs, and to identify what further steps could be taken so that every disabled passenger can travel with confidence.

Community Transport: EU Law

Gillian Keegan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the timetable is for the publication of the Government response to the consultation on the application of EU Regulation 1071/2009 and proposed exemptions for community transport providers operating for non-commercial purposes.

Ms Nusrat Ghani: Almost 500 consultation responses were received about how EU Regulation 1071/2009 applies to Transport Act 1985 permits, and over 550 community transport operators, local authorities and passengers attended the consultation events across Great Britain. The Department is still working to address all the legal and other issues raised by the Regulation and we intend to announce the Government’s response shortly.

Crossrail Line: Langley

Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the timeframe is for the Crossrail station in Langley to be operational.

Andrew Jones: Crossrail Limited, which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Transport for London, is currently working on a revised delivery plan. Crossrail Limited has committed to delivering the full Elizabeth line services, including those to Langley, as quickly as possible once the central tunnels have been completed, to provide a service that will carry up to 200 million passengers a year. Elizabeth line services will call at the existing station at Langley which is currently, and will continue to be, served by Great Western Railway services.

Aviation: Allergies

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what guidance has been provided to airlines on transporting passengers at risk of anaphylactic shock.

Jesse Norman: International Air Transport Association (IATA) guidance provides information to both airlines and allergen-sensitive passengers to help minimise the risk of anaphylactic shock on aircraft. Through the current Aviation 2050 consultation, the Government is proposing improving consistency of passenger information and support provided by airlines, this will ensure consumers with allergies have more confidence to travel.

Transport: Solihull

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the transport infrastructure capital account spending was in Solihull in each year between 2009 and 2018.

Jesse Norman: The following Transport Capital funding figures refer to Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council. The total Capital Expenditure on Highways and Transport (from all funding sources) as reported by the Council can be found in the table below. YearKent2008/09£6,284K2009/10£11,508K2010/11£11,707K2011/12£4,726K2012/13£5,328K2013/14£9,401K2014/15£8,715K2015/16£16,086K2016/17£13,007K2017/18£7,692K

Bus Services: Solihull

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to increase the provision of bus services in Solihull.

Ms Nusrat Ghani: The bus market outside London is deregulated and decisions regarding service provision are primarily a commercial matter for bus operators. Decisions on subsidised bus services are a matter for individual English local authorities, in the light of their other spending priorities. The Bus Services Act 2017 provides the tools local authorities need to improve local bus services and increase passenger numbers.

Railways: Solihull

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many people travelling by train (a) to and (b) from Solihull were eligible for delay repay refunds in (a) 2016-17 and (b) 2017-18.

Andrew Jones: The Department does not hold this information, however the Department does publish data on the total amount of compensation paid by train operating companies to passengers.

Railways: Solihull

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what information he holds on the number of passenger (a) arrivals and (b) departures at (i) Solihull, (ii) Olton and (iii) Shirley railway stations in each of the last five years.

Andrew Jones: The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) estimates the number of passengers travelling to and from stations within Great Britain. The estimates for Solihull, Olton and Shirley are presented in the table below:Estimates of total arrivals and departures by station Station arrivalsStation departuresYearSolihullOltonShirleySolihullOltonShirley2017-18951,871242,308182,884951,871242,308182,8842016-17941,900240,224181,059941,900240,224181,0592015-16916,958230,386178,599916,958230,386178,5992014-15871,010212,358164,731871,010212,358164,7312013-14831,230206,252166,492831,230206,252166,492Please note there have been methodological changes over the recording of these statistics so yearly figures may not be directly comparable. Source: ORR Estimates of Station Usage (http://orr.gov.uk/statistics/published-stats/station-usage-estimates) Station arrivals and departures provide an estimation of the number of passenger journeys, based on origin and destination data from ticket sales. The methodology applied makes an assumption that the number of station arrivals and departures are equal.

Heathrow Airport: Northern Ireland

Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will hold discussions with Heathrow Airport Management on providing Government support for the development of regional logistic hubs in Northern Ireland.

Jesse Norman: The Government is supportive of Heathrow's initiative to create and drive employment opportunities through the development of logistic hubs, subject to Heathrow receiving the relevant DCO. Heathrow are in the process of assessing and shortlisting potential sites across the UK (therefore including N.Ireland); to be announced spring 2019. The Government supports and encourages the owners of potential hub sites to proactively engage with Heathrow in the interest of maximising the benefits of expansion through this initiative.

Crossrail 2 Line

Sir Vince Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will publish the interim recommendations of the Crossrail 2 Independent Affordability Review; and what his timeframe is for publishing the final recommendations of that review.

Andrew Jones: The Crossrail 2 Independent Affordability Review, chaired by Mike Gerrard, provided interim recommendations to the Secretary of State for Transport and Mayor of London this summer. This included recommendations for further work to ensure the scheme taken forward is affordable. This further work is currently being taken forward to inform the next steps for the project and complete the Review. We intend to publish the Review’s findings in due course when we have fully completed the further work.

Ports: Northern Ireland

Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has had discussions with ports in Northern Ireland that have resolved any issues that may arise after 29 March 2019; and if he will make a statement.

Ms Nusrat Ghani: Ports policy and connecting infrastructure are devolved matters in Northern Ireland. However, DfT officials occasionally discuss matters of mutual interest with Northern Irish port operators.

High Speed Two: Travel

Dame Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the cost of train tickets purchased for travel by (a) people working for HS2 Ltd and (b) reimbursed to any third party by HS2 Ltd; which departure and station and arrival station the tickets were used for; and the class of travel between 1 January 2018 and 31 December 2018.

Ms Nusrat Ghani: The expenditure on train travel for HS2 Ltd personnel is £2,506,977.66 for the period 01 January 2018 to 31 December 2018. HS2 Ltd do not hold a central register of third party travel costs from their contracts. Where relevant, third party suppliers would include such expenditure with other costs they invoice back to HS2 Ltd. Each invoice is checked to ensure it is genuine and in line with the contract and HS2 Ltd Expenses Policy, but a separate register of all travel costs is not collated.

High Speed Two: Hotels

Dame Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of (a) the hotel expenses paid for by HS2 Ltd in relation to HS2 Ltd personnel and (b) reimbursed to third parties by HS2 Ltd; if he will publish the (i) dates of stay and (ii) name of hotels used in relation to those costs; and the purpose of those visits between 1 January 2018 and 31 December 2018.

Ms Nusrat Ghani: Hotel expenditure for HS2 Ltd personnel is £599,957.80 for the period 01 January 2018 to 31 December 2018. HS2 Ltd do not hold a central register of third party hotel costs from our contracts. Where relevant, third party suppliers would include such expenditure with other costs which they invoice to HS2 Ltd. Each invoice is checked to ensure that it is genuine and in line with the contract and HS2 Ltd’s Expenses Policy, but a separate register of all hotel costs is not collated.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Domestic Appliances: Counterfeit Manufacturing

Carolyn Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of introducing legislative proposals for further regulation to tackle online (a) platforms and (b) retail sites that allow the sale of counterfeit and substandard electrical goods.

Kelly Tolhurst: The Government believes the existing legislative framework is robust and enables the appropriate action to be taken against online platforms and retail sites that allow sales of counterfeit and substandard electrical goods.The UK was ranked 3rd in the world for its overall IP system by Taylor Wessing in their latest Global IP Index (GIPI) in 2016.The UK’s IP enforcement regime specifically was ranked 2nd in the world in the US Chamber of Commerce Global Innovation Policy Center (GIPC) IP Index 2018.The UK is regularly ranked among the top couple of countries in the world for IP protection. Online platforms that fall under UK law have clearly defined responsibilities to take down listings for illegal goods once notified, and the leading platforms have been proactive in developing systems to assist IP rights holders to request takedowns effectively. Examples include the eBay VeRO system, the Amazon Brand Registry, and Ali Baba’s AliProtect.

Domestic Appliances: Counterfeit Manufacturing

Carolyn Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent assessment he made of the cost to the UK economy of the sale of counterfeit and substandard electrical products.

Kelly Tolhurst: The Government does not hold data estimating the cost to the economy of counterfeit or substandard electrical products.

Parental Leave and Parental Pay: Baby Care Units

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether the Government will consider extending statutory leave and pay for parents whose baby is admitted to neonatal care by every week their baby stays in hospital.

Kelly Tolhurst: The Department is conducting a short, focussed internal review of the provisions for parents of premature babies and sick babies and those that experience multiple births. The purpose of this work is to obtain a high-level understanding of the barriers to participating in the labour market that these parents can face. It would not be appropriate to announce future policy without first establishing an appropriate evidence base.BEIS officials are working with organisations who represent the interests of these parents (The Smallest Things, Bliss, and TAMBA) to better understand the issues that parents can face and have also held focus groups with a small number of parents themselves. This will inform our policy consideration.

Parental Leave: Baby Care Units

Angela Crawley: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of statutory leave and pay provisions for parents whose baby is admitted to neonatal care; and whether the Government plans to extend those provisions to cover the entirety of the baby's stay in hospital.

Kelly Tolhurst: The Department is conducting a short, focussed internal review of the provisions for parents of premature babies and sick babies and those that experience multiple births. The purpose of this work is to obtain a high-level understanding of the barriers to participating in the labour market that these parents can face. It would not be appropriate to announce future policy without first establishing an appropriate evidence base.BEIS officials are working with organisations who represent the interests of these parents (The Smallest Things, Bliss, and TAMBA) to better understand the issues that parents can face and have also held focus groups with a small number of parents themselves. This will inform our policy consideration.

Nuclear Power Stations: Cumbria

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how much funding his Department has allocated to the Moorside Nuclear Power station project in Cumbria since February 2017.

Richard Harrington: The Moorside project was led by a private developer and the Government did not allocate any direct public funding to the project. We have, however, committed £200m to the Nuclear Sector Deal which was agreed with industry to drive competitiveness across the nuclear sector. Through the deal the sector has committed to deliver by 2030: 30 per cent cost reduction in the cost of new build projects, savings of 20 per cent in the cost of decommissioning compared with current estimates, 40 per cent women in nuclear, and up to £2bn domestic and international contract wins.

Pay

Richard Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether his Department has estimated the value of wages unlawfully unpaid in the last year for which information is available by category of unlawfully unpaid wages.

Kelly Tolhurst: Holding answer received on 07 February 2019



This Government does not hold estimates of the total value of wages unlawfully unpaid in the last year. Through enforcement of National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage (NMW) law over the 2017/18 financial year, HM Revenue and Customs identified over £15.6 million in wage arrears, owed to over 200,000 workers. Government has increased HMRC’s enforcement budget again to a record high of £26.3 million for 2018-19.Any worker who feels they have been underpaid should contact the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas). Acas provides free and impartial information and advice on all aspects of workplace relations and employment law. Where appropriate, Acas will refer complaints relating to minimum wage underpayment on to HMRC for enforcement action.The Acas website is at www.acas.org.uk and the Acas helpline number is 0300 123 1100.

Mash Holdings: Company Accounts

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Answer of 31 January 2019 to Question 212620 on Mash Holdings: Company Accounts, what steps have been taken to ensure that MASH Holdings will file those accounts with Companies House; and what the timeframe is for those accounts to be publicly available.

Kelly Tolhurst: Whilst Companies House is unable to comment on the details of an individual case it is taking action in line with the Companies Act and has written to the company to remind them of their obligations under that Act.

Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what the annual budget has been for the Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate in each of the last three years; and how many staff that Inspectorate has employed in each of the last three years.

Kelly Tolhurst: Holding answer received on 07 February 2019



Draft Answer YearEmployment Agency Standard Inspectorate BudgetNumber of Full Time Equivalent Staff 2016/17£500,000112017/18£725,000112018/19£725,00013* *Recruitment for additional EAS Inspectors is ongoing. In 2018/19, BEIS is funding over £27million of labour market enforcement. In addition to the Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate, BEIS have increased resources to HMRC to enforce the National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage. Funding rose to £25.3 million in 2017/18 (from £20 million in 2016/17), where HMRC identified a record £15.6 million in minimum wage arrears for over 200,000 workers. HMRC’s enforcement budget for 2018/19 now stands at £26.3 million” As part of the Good Work Plan, the Government has committed to extend state enforcement for vulnerable workers to cover holiday pay and will bring forward proposals for a single labour market enforcement body.

Business: Location

Vicky Foxcroft: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent estimate his Department has made of the number of UK-based businesses based in (a) Lewisham Deptford constituency, (b) the London Borough of Lewisham, (c) London and (d) the UK that are considering relocating out of the UK in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal.

Kelly Tolhurst: The Government is working to ensure an orderly exit from the EU and a good deal for the UK. We continue to engage extensively with business across the country, including London, to understand their concerns. The Government is providing businesses with the latest advice and information to ensure that they are prepared for all aspects of leaving the EU. The guidance published at https://euexitbusiness.campaign.gov.uk/ helps businesses locate the most relevant information based on their sector and activities.

Business: Billing

Marion Fellows: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, when his Department plans to publish a response to its consultation entitled Creating a responsible payment culture: a call for evidence on tackling late payment.

Kelly Tolhurst: Holding answer received on 08 February 2019



The call for evidence on tackling late payment closed on 29 November 2018 and we received nearly 300 responses. We are currently analysing those responses and intend to publish a response in due course.

Domestic Appliances: Scotland

Martin Docherty-Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what discussions (a) he, (b) ministers in his Department and (c) officials in his Department have had with the representatives of the Scottish Government on the sale of unsafe electrical goods online; and whether he has plans to bring forward legislative proposals for the regulation of the sale of those products online.

Kelly Tolhurst: The Department has had discussions with the Scottish Government on a number of issues related to the safety of consumers, including on the Office for Product Safety and Standards’ (OPSS) new strategy for product safety. OPSS also works closely with local authority Trading Standards services across Scotland on specific issues, including the safety of electrical goods. All electrical goods must meet essential safety requirements before they can be placed on the UK market, including electrical goods sold to consumers by online retailers. The Government has no plans to introduce further regulation in this area.

Iron and Steel

Nic Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to support the UK steel industry in the event of the UK leaving the EU without a deal.

Richard Harrington: We are committed to supporting vital industries in any EU exit scenario, including taking action to provide continuity for British businesses in trading arrangements wherever possible and establishing the Trade Remedies Authority to protect the steel sector and others from unfair trading practices. Extensive engagement has taken, and is taking, place between Government and the steel industry to communicate actions businesses can take in preparation and to explore the implications of different scenarios on the sector. Our ambitious Industrial Strategy comprises policies to build an economy fit for the future, helping to foster a competitive environment where businesses can have the confidence to invest in UK steel manufacturing and thrive. We commissioned independent research to identify high value opportunities for UK steel, worth up to £3.8 billion a year by 2030. Through the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund, the Government will be supporting the transformation of our foundation industries – including steel – by providing up to £66 million, subject to industry co-funding, to develop radical new technologies and establish innovation centres of excellence.

Business: Insolvency

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what comparative assessment he has made of year on year trends in the level of business insolvencies in each of the last seven years.

Kelly Tolhurst: Holding answer received on 08 February 2019



Official statistics covering company insolvencies are published quarterly, and include annual statistics on the number of company insolvencies in each of the last seven years. The latest figures, covering up to 2018Q4, are available at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/insolvency-statistics-october-to-december-2018.

Motor Vehicles: Manufacturing Industries

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to his oral contribution of 4 February 2019, Official Report column 73, how many car manufacturers operating in the UK have (a) applied successfully, (b) applied unsuccessfully and (c) not applied for support through those programmes conducted independently of the Government.

Richard Harrington: Holding answer received on 08 February 2019



The Government has continued to support the automotive sector via a number of routes including the Regional Growth Fund to support individual investment projects and the Advanced Propulsion Centre which is aimed at research and development to bring forward the next generation of low carbon technologies to keep the UK at the cutting edge of low carbon automotive innovations. The number of awards made by these routes are set out in the table below. Scheme(a) – number of UK car manufacturers which have applied successfully1(b) – number of UK car manufacturers which have applied unsuccessfully1(c) – number of UK car manufacturers which have not appliedRegional Growth Fund (since 2010)10524Advanced Propulsion Centre (since 2013)68233351 some companies appear in both category (a) and (b) 2 excludes niche vehicle manufacturers and non-passenger car vehicle makers such as bus and off highway 3 two further applications were withdrawn 4 two volume UK car makers have never applied to RGF 5 three volume UK car makers have never applied to APC 6155 unique organisations are participating in APC collaborative R&D projects

Aviation

Christian Matheson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what meetings his Department has had with counterparts in the Department for Transport on the forthcoming aviation strategy.

Richard Harrington: The Department held extensive discussions with the Department for Transport prior to the release of the Aviation 2050 consultation paper. Officials remain closely engaged, including with industry through the Aerospace Growth Partnership, the joint government and industry sector council, as the consultation process continues.

Professions: Qualifications

Mr John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, to what extent professional qualifications and registrations will continue to be mutually recognised between the UK and the EU after the UK leaves the EU.

Richard Harrington: Under the terms of the Withdrawal Agreement, the current arrangements between the UK and the EU on the mutual recognition of professional qualifications will continue to apply during the implementation period. UK nationals and EU citizens who have obtained - or applied for - a recognition decision before the end of the implementation period will continue to be able to rely on those recognition decisions - or have those applications completed - after the implementation period. These provisions will apply to applications for the European Professional Card and qualifications recognised under the Professional Qualifications Directive for the purpose of establishment but not for the temporary and occasional provision of services, lawyers practising under host State title, approved statutory auditors, and persons engaged in the trade and distribution of toxic products. After the implementation period, new applications for recognition of UK qualifications in the EU, and vice versa, will be subject to arrangements to be agreed in the negotiations on our future relationship.

Iron and Steel and Motor Vehicles

Jo Stevens: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment his Department has made of the potential effect of the UK leaving the EU without a withdrawal agreement on the UK (a) automotive and (b) steel industries.

Richard Harrington: On 28th November 2018 the Government laid before Parliament the document entitled, “EU Exit: Long-term economic analysis” which was intended to facilitate parliamentary scrutiny ahead of the Meaningful Vote on the final deal. The purpose of this analysis was to illustrate high level impacts on the UK from different EU Exit scenarios. It included associated costs for five broad groups, across the economy as well as for eleven corresponding sectors which together cover the majority of the UK economy and all traded goods and services: ○ Manufactured Goods (including Iron & Steel as well as Motor vehicles and parts);○ Agri-food;○ Services (Non-Financial and Non-Networks);○ Financial Services;○ Networks; The sector of “motor vehicles and parts”, being a sub – sector of the wider manufactured goods group, was assessed as one of the 11 corresponding sectors; and therefore, results of the impact of different EU-exit scenarios on motor vehicles have been published.The macroeconomic modelling tools used for this analysis do not allow for disaggregation of results at individual sector level. Extensive engagement has also taken place and is continuing between Government and the steel and automotive industries, to better understand the implications of different EU – exit scenarios on the sectors.

Carers: Leave

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to the recommendations on page 16 of the Carers UK report, Juggling work and unpaid care: A growing issue, published on 5 February 2019, if he will make it his policy to introduce new rights to paid care leave and a longer period of unpaid leave.

Kelly Tolhurst: The Government has set out the largest upgrade to workers rights in a generation. We are committed to supporting carers and to do so in a way that takes account of their own health and wellbeing, life chances and promotes access to employment and retention. The Government is taking action to address the practical challenges of balancing work and caring responsibilities, as set out in the action plan that we published in June 2018. The Department is considering the question of dedicated employment rights for carers alongside existing employment rights (such as the right to request flexible working and the right to time off for family and dependants), and we are working with colleagues across Government to ensure that any emerging proposals are the most effective.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Ecuador: Foreign Relations

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions his Department has had with its counterpart in Ecuador on building economic ties with the UK.

Sir Alan Duncan: The Department for International Trade leads on this issue. Most recently, the Secretary of State for International Trade met his Ecuadorean counterpart, Mr Pablo Campana, on 24 January. Discussions focused on replicating the current broader EU-Andean Free Trade Agreement into a bilateral agreement with the UK, to ensure there is no disruption to our trading relationship as we leave the EU. More widely, British Government officials, including our Ambassador in Quito, are in regular contact with the Ecuadorean government on a variety of bilateral issues, including the economic relationship. UK goods exports to Ecuador more than doubled following the entry into force of the EU Ecuador Trade Agreement in January 2017.

China: Climate Change

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions his Department has had with its counterpart in China on reducing the effects of climate change.

Mark Field: I met leading energy and climate change experts to discuss the opportunities and challenges presented by China’s transition to a low carbon economy when I visited China in July. More recently, I gave a keynote speech on Carbon Capture Usage and Storage in the Chinese Pavilion at COP24, where I also met Sun Zhen, Deputy Director General at the Ministry of Ecology and Environment. The Foreign Secretary’s Special Representative for Climate Change met with a range of Chinese ministers and officials in late 2018. Additionally, my officials, in particular through our Embassy in Beijing, regularly engage on climate change with their Chinese counterparts.​

Pakistan: Foreign Relations

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions his Department has had with the Government of Pakistan since the last election in that country; and what recent (a) military and (b) economic assistance has been offered to improve co-operation between the UK and Pakistan.

Mark Field: We have had regular discussions with the Government of Pakistan since the election in July 2018. This includes contact by the Foreign Secretary and other Foreign and Commonwealth Office Ministers. We maintain regular contact with the Government of Pakistan at all levels in Pakistan, the UK and international fora on a range of bilateral and multilateral issues. These include security cooperation; work on anti-corruption; and bilateral trade.We maintain defence training exchanges and senior bilateral defence meetings with Pakistan’s Armed Forces. We help strengthen Pakistan institutions responsible for upholding the rule of law and advancing the rights of women and minorities. The British government also works with the Government of Pakistan on improving education, healthcare, infrastructure, gender equality, economic growth and jobs, and peace, justice and institutions, including through Department for International Development-supported projects and programmes.

Pakistan: Human Rights

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his counterpart in Pakistan on the maintenance of human rights in Pakistan.

Mark Field: We remain concerned about the human rights situation across Pakistan. The British Government regularly raises its concerns about human rights at the highest levels with the Government of Pakistan. The Foreign Secretary discussed freedom of religion or belief and the role of civil society with the Foreign Minister of Pakistan when they spoke in December 2018.We advocate greater tolerance, and action against human rights violations and abuses. We remain fully committed to working in partnership with the Government of Pakistan to help achieve this.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office: Buildings

Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the (a) budget and (b) costs have been for his Department's offices on King Charles Street, London in 2019.

Sir Alan Duncan: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) pays business rates on the King Charles Street building, calculated on a financial year basis. In the current financial year (1 April 2018 to 31 March 2019) the total cost of rates payable is £4,304,070. On a pro rata basis, the rates cost so far for 2019 (1 January to 5 February) is £424,511. The FCO has not yet been informed of its business rates liability for the financial year beginning 1 April 2019. The FCO does not pay rent on the King Charles Street building, which it owns outright.The total expected utilities costs for the King Charles Street building for the current financial year (including actual spend to the end of December 2018, and forecast spend for January, February and March 2019) is £1,752,611. These costs are broken down into the following:DescriptionTotal (£)Whitehall District Heating676,607Electricity Non-Residential954,999Gas Non-Residential42,001Water Non-Residential79,004

Foreign and Commonwealth Office: Buildings

Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, which properties on his Department's assets register were worth over £5 million at 31 March 2018.

Sir Alan Duncan: There are 86 properties valued in existing use with a net book value over £5 million as at 31 March 2018 in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Asset Register, as follows:LocationPropertiesAbu Dhabi1Abuja1Accra2Addis Ababa1Algiers1Amman1Athens1Bahrain1Belgrade2Berlin1Berne1Bridgetown1Brussels1Buenos Aires2Cairo1Caracas1Colombo1Dublin2Geneva2Harare2Helsinki1Hong Kong2Istanbul1Jakarta1Kampala2Khartoum2Kinshasa2Kuala Lumpur1Kuwait1Lagos1Lilongwe1Luxembourg1Manila1Mogadishu1Moscow2Mumbai1Nairobi1New Delhi2New York3Oslo1Ottawa1Paris4Rabat1Rangoon1Rome2San Francisco1Santiago1Seoul1Singapore4Stockholm2Tbilisi1Tel Aviv1The Hague1Tokyo2United Kingdom3Vienna2Warsaw1Washington3Total86

Italy: Refugees

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with his Italian counterpart on the rescue of the 47 migrants by the Sea-Watch 3 vessel.

Sir Alan Duncan: ​As part of our bilateral relationship with Italy we regularly discuss migration issues at ministerial and official level. Sea-Watch 3 disembarked the 47 rescued migrants on board at Catania (Sicily) on 31 January. While the vessel was awaiting permission to disembark, the UK Government both engaged with Italian officials and authorities and, through its local Honorary Consul, contacted the vessel to ensure that the four British nationals amongst the crew knew how to seek consular assistance if required.

Zimbabwe: Freedom of Expression

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the Government in Zimbabwe on respect for fundamental freedoms including freedom of expression in that country.

Harriett Baldwin: The Zimbabwean Government’s recent internet shutdown, and restriction on social media, was a disturbing curtailing of freedom of expression. I summoned the Zimbabwean Ambassador on 17 January to express our concern at the ongoing situation, urge the government to investigate any cases of alleged human rights violations and to restore access to the internet. I was pleased that the High Court of Zimbabwe ruled the shutdown unconstitutional on 22 January.On 30 January I spoke to Foreign Minister Moyo, repeating our calls for an end to human rights violations and a full investigation.

Democratic Republic of Congo: Elections

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the legitimacy of the recent elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Harriett Baldwin: We remain concerned about reported discrepancies between results for Presidential, Parliamentary and Provincial elections held on 30 December 2018, and parallel tallies conducted by respected independent observers. We joined others in calling upon CENI (the DRC's electoral commission) to publish its data, which is a crucial step towards providing the stability that the DRC and the region needs. We have also voiced our concern through diplomatic channels, including at the UN Security Council and the EU.The Congolese people clearly voted for change on 30 December. Following the inauguration of Felix Tshisekedi as President on 24 January 2019, we are engaging with his team to understand their plans for improving the DRC's stability and prosperity.

Christianity: Oppression

Sir David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with countries listed in the Open Doors 2019 World Watch List of the 50 countries where Christians face the most extreme persecution.

Mark Field: The Foreign Secretary, myself, and and other British Government Ministers regularly raise our concerns about the persecution of religious minorities, including Christians, where this occurs. The Foreign Secretary recently asked the Bishop of Truro to conduct an independent review of the persecution of Christians around the world to help inform this important area of our work and ensure it is targeted and effective. Over recent months, ministers and diplomats have raised religious freedom issues in many countries.

Bangladesh: Politics and Government

Mary Glindon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether the UK Government recognises the outcome of the Bangladesh General Election held on 30 December 2018; and what his policy is on that country's regime.

Mark Field: The Bangladesh general election on 30 December 2018 was subject to numerous allegations of irregularities and voter intimidation. I released a statement on 1 January deploring the violence that took place and expressing UK concerns regarding the conduct of the election. I called for electoral authorities to provide a full, credible and transparent resolution of all complaints related to the conduct of the elections and repeated this message to the Bangladesh High Commissioner when we met on 10 January in London.I have also written to my counterpart the State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Shahriar Alam, to express UK concerns regarding the conduct of the election and on the democratic trajectory in Bangladesh. The Foreign Secretary wrote to Foreign Minister Momen to deliver similar messages. The UK will continue to engage the Government of Bangladesh at all levels to address our concerns regarding democracy in Bangladesh.We have a broad and important partnership with Bangladesh and we will continue to support the people of Bangladesh in their aspirations for a more stable, prosperous, and democratic future. Change will not happen overnight but UK Aid is enabling Bangladeshi women and young people to engage in politics, making communities more resilient to conflict and monitoring levels of political violence. I do not assess that sanctions against Bangladesh would deliver an improvement in the democratic trajectory of that country.

Bangladesh: Elections

Mary Glindon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps the Government is taking in response to reports of electoral fraud during the recent General Election in Bangladesh.

Mary Glindon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to reports of electoral fraud during the recent General Election in Bangladesh, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of applying sanctions against Bangladesh until a full and independent investigation is carried out.

Mary Glindon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps are being taken to ensure that Bangladesh general election irregularities are fully and independently investigated.

Mark Field: The Bangladesh general election on 30 December 2018 was subject to numerous allegations of irregularities and voter intimidation. I released a statement on 1 January deploring the violence that took place and expressing UK concerns regarding the conduct of the election. I called for electoral authorities to provide a full, credible and transparent resolution of all complaints related to the conduct of the elections and repeated this message to the Bangladesh High Commissioner when we met on 10 January in London.I have also written to my counterpart the State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Shahriar Alam, to express UK concerns regarding the conduct of the election and on the democratic trajectory in Bangladesh. The Foreign Secretary wrote to Foreign Minister Momen to deliver similar messages. The UK will continue to engage the Government of Bangladesh at all levels to address our concerns regarding democracy in Bangladesh.We have a broad and important partnership with Bangladesh and we will continue to support the people of Bangladesh in their aspirations for a more stable, prosperous, and democratic future. Change will not happen overnight but UK Aid is enabling Bangladeshi women and young people to engage in politics, making communities more resilient to conflict and monitoring levels of political violence. I do not assess that sanctions against Bangladesh would deliver an improvement in the democratic trajectory of that country.

Thailand: Asylum

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with his Thai counterpart on the effect of reform to the law on asylum seekers on refugees in that country.

Mark Field: We understand that asylum issues are not specifically covered under Thai legislation, but that the authorities are considering new laws around this issue. We will seek to discuss this in more detail when the opportunity arises. The UK has repeatedly urged Thailand to sign the 1951 UN Convention on Refugees and has raised asylum cases and immigration crackdowns with the Thai authorities.On 2 November 2018, the Minister of State for the Commonwealth and UN, Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, spoke to the Thai Ambassador in London to raise our concerns over the detention of foreign nationals in Thailand. Our Embassy in Bangkok also raised the issues with the Ministry of the Interior. The UNHCR are working closely with the Royal Thai Government over asylum, resettlement issues, and improving conditions for genuine claimants, for example by giving them documentation that allows them to access services and protects them from persecution.

Russia: Jehovah's Witnesses

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his counterpart in Russia on the religious freedom of Jehovah's Witnesses in that country.

Sir Alan Duncan: We remain deeply concerned about the deteriorating human rights situation in Russia, including the treatment of Jevovah's Witnesses and the recent case of Denis Christensen.The Minister for Human Rights Lord Ahmad has previously issued a statement urging Russia to uphold its international human rights obligations to protect citizens who may be at risk of persecution. Our Ambassador to Moscow has raised concerns directly with the Russian Government.We continue to prioritise the promotion and protection of human rights, and will continue to make our concerns clear in bilateral interactions at all levels, where appropriate. Lord Ahmad remains in close touch with Jehovah's Witnesses to discuss concerns.

Foreign Relations

Mr John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when the Soft Power Strategy will be published.

Mark Field: ​No decision has been taken on a publication date for the soft power strategy, or whether the strategy will itself be a published document, though we anticipate public communication of initiatives arising from it.

Eritrea: Ethiopia

Dr David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether his Department has provided diplomatic or operational support for the transfer of  Badme from Ethiopian to Eritrean jurisdiction.

Harriett Baldwin: The Governments of Eritrea and Ethiopia have yet to announce how they plan to enact their declaration of peace of 9 July 2018, including the withdrawal of Ethiopian forces from Badme and options for the residents there. The UK continues to offer diplomatic support for the ongoing rapprochement between the two countries. We have not engaged in specific discussions on, nor provided direct support for, the town of Badme.

Eritrea: Ethiopia

Dr David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether his Department is providing support to residents of Badme who are transferring from Ethiopian to Eritrean nationality.

Harriett Baldwin: The Governments of Eritrea and Ethiopia have yet to announce how they plan to enact their declaration of peace of 9 July 2018, including the withdrawal of Ethiopian forces from Badme and options for the residents there. The UK continues to offer diplomatic support for the ongoing rapprochement between the two countries. We have not engaged in specific discussions on, nor provided direct support for, the town of Badme.

Attorney General

John Broadhurst

Frank Field: To ask the Attorney General, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of the sentence delivered in the case of R v Broadhurst in December 2018.

Mr Geoffrey Cox: The Attorney General’s Office received a number of referrals under the Unduly Lenient Sentence (ULS) Scheme for the case of R v Broadhurst. The Law Officers can only refer a sentence as unduly lenient if there has been a “gross error” resulting in the sentence being significantly below the level that any judge could reasonably have imposed. The power is one that should only be used in exceptional circumstances and it is not an automatic prosecution right of appeal. After reviewing the case I am satisfied that the judge approached the sentencing in the correct way and I have concluded that the sentence was not outside the range of sentences that were reasonably available to the judge. It would therefore not be right for me to refer the sentence to the Court of Appeal. Sentencing is the responsibility of the Ministry of Justice while charging decisions are an independent matter for the Crown Prosecution Service.

Crown Prosecution Service: West Midlands

Steve McCabe: To ask the Attorney General, pursuant to the Answer of 4 February 2019 to Question 213932, what the change has been in the case load of the Crown Prosecution Service for each crime type, in the West Midlands, in each year from 2010 to 2018.

Steve McCabe: To ask the Attorney General, pursuant to the Answer of 4 February 2019 to Question 213932 on Crown Prosecution Service: West Midlands, what the change has been in the number of offences for each crime type in (a) the West Midlands and (b) England in each year since 2010.

Robert Buckland: The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) does not maintain a central record of offences recorded against crime types. However, the CPS does collect data which reports the number of prosecuted defendants allocated to twelve Principal Offence Categories which is collated in financial years. The tables in Annex A show the number of finalised prosecution outcomes by Principal Offence during each year from 2010-11 to 2017-18 in the West Midlands CPS Area and in England. During the 8 year period reported in the table, magistrates’ courts caseload has fallen by 31% and Crown Court caseload by 23% in the West Midlands Area, compared to falls of 47% and 34% respectively across England as a whole. Despite the falling caseload it is important to be aware that the types of cases prosecuted in the West Midlands and England have changed significantly in the period between 2010 and 2018. The CPS is prosecuting more serious and complex cases in the West Midlands Area as evidenced by a 46% rise in homicide (35% in England), a 34% increase in fraud and forgery (compared to a fall of 17% in England) and a 55% increase in sexual offences cases (26% in England). During this period, minor motoring cases have fallen by 67% in the Area with a similar fall reflected across England. This followed changes to the list of specified offences made in 2012 which transferred responsibility for prosecuting many low level motoring offences back to the police



Annex A
(Word Document, 22.7 KB)

Crown Prosecution Service: Expenditure

Steve McCabe: To ask the Attorney General, what the change has been in the level of funding allocated by the Crown Prosecution Service at (a) a regional level and (b) CPS Direct level in each year from 2010 to 2018.

Robert Buckland: The table below provides a breakdown of the funding at regional level and for CPS Direct from 2010 to 2018. AreaFY10FY11FY12FY13FY14FY15FY16FY17FY18 £m£m£m£m£m£m£m£m£mCymru Wales Area26.524.822.522.320.219.119.419.219.8East of England Area25.524.121.820.719.520.619.119.819.0East Midlands Area30.629.427.126.324.522.723.324.625.1London 110.1104.198.594.185.580.479.081.279.7Mersey Cheshire Area21.020.017.817.215.114.914.614.916.0North East Area23.723.021.420.018.418.017.117.917.2North West Area45.645.640.440.137.934.633.933.730.9South East Area29.127.125.423.822.223.121.821.822.8South West Area20.920.819.418.818.017.316.816.516.7Thames and Chiltern Area26.425.624.424.222.523.021.621.020.7Wessex Area22.121.219.918.217.617.817.115.414.8West Midlands Area45.542.639.336.033.132.734.436.835.6Yorkshire and Humberside Area42.640.336.835.833.832.532.231.830.8CPS Direct13.513.011.812.821.220.519.118.016.1

Department of Health and Social Care

In Vitro Fertilisation

Siobhain McDonagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the live birth rate was under IVF when 1-4 eggs were collected and fresh embryos were transferred from stimulated IVF cycles in each year since 2013.

Siobhain McDonagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the live birth rate was under IVF when 5-9 eggs were collected and fresh embryos were transferred from stimulated IVF cycles in each year since 2013.

Jackie Doyle-Price: The information requested is shown in the following table:Live birth rate per embryo transfer: eggs collected in a stimulated cycle and fresh embryos were transferredYear of treatment1 to 4 eggs collected5-9 eggs collected201317.5229.30201417.6129.98201518.9029.85201619.0730.01201718.0928.37Source: The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) The data is as shown on the HFEA’s register database on 5 February 2019. This is a live database so these figures reflect the data on this day and are likely to change over time.

In Vitro Fertilisation

Siobhain McDonagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the live birth rate was under IVF when 1-4 eggs were collected and frozen embryos were transferred from stimulated IVF cycles in each year since 2013.

Siobhain McDonagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the live birth rate was under IVF when 5-9 eggs were collected and frozen embryos were transferred from stimulated IVF cycles in each year since 2013.

Jackie Doyle-Price: The information requested is shown in the following table:Live birth rate per egg collection: eggs collected in stimulated cycles and frozen embryos were subsequently transferredYear of treatment1 to 4 eggs collected5-9 eggs collected201335.4753.88201437.9752.34201533.5547.01201625.8440.21201717.7424.28Source: The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) The data is as shown on the HFEA’s register database on 5 February 2019. This is a live database so these figures reflect the data on this day and are likely to change over time.

In Vitro Fertilisation

Siobhain McDonagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the median age was of women undergoing IVF who had 1-9 eggs collected and who had fresh embryos transferred from fresh stimulated cycles in each year since 2013.

Jackie Doyle-Price: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 14 January 2019 to Question PQ205111.

In Vitro Fertilisation

Siobhain McDonagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what was the median age of women undergoing IVF who had 10-14 eggs collected and who had fresh embryos transferred from fresh stimulated cycles in each year since 2013.

Jackie Doyle-Price: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 14 January 2019 to Question PQ205112.

In Vitro Fertilisation

Siobhain McDonagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what was the median age of women undergoing IVF who had 15-20 eggs collected and who had fresh embryos transferred from fresh stimulated cycles in each year since 2013.

Jackie Doyle-Price: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 14 January 2019 to Question PQ205113.

In Vitro Fertilisation

Siobhain McDonagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the median age was of women undergoing IVF who had 21 or more eggs collected and who had fresh embryos transferred from fresh stimulated cycles in each year since 2013.

Jackie Doyle-Price: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 14 January 2019 to Question PQ205114.

In Vitro Fertilisation

Siobhain McDonagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the median age was of women undergoing IVF who had 1-9 eggs collected and who had frozen embryos allowed to perish from fresh stimulated cycles in each year since 2013.

Jackie Doyle-Price: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 14 January 2019 to Question 205123.

In Vitro Fertilisation

Siobhain McDonagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the median age was of women undergoing IVF who had 10-14 eggs collected and who had frozen embryos allowed to perish from fresh stimulated cycles in each year since 2013.

Jackie Doyle-Price: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 14 January 2019 to Question 205124.

In Vitro Fertilisation

Siobhain McDonagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the median age was of women undergoing IVF who had 15-20 eggs collected and who had frozen embryos allowed to perish from fresh stimulated cycles in each year since 2013.

Jackie Doyle-Price: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 14 January 2019 to Question 205125.

In Vitro Fertilisation

Siobhain McDonagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the median age was of women undergoing IVF who had 21 or more eggs collected and who had frozen embryos allowed to perish from fresh stimulated cycles in each year since 2013.

Jackie Doyle-Price: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 14 January 2019 to Question 205126.

Accident and Emergency Departments

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has plans to introduce screening questions to patients at A&E Departments to reduce waiting times.

Stephen Hammond: All eligible acute trusts with a type 1 accident and emergency (A&E) Department have front-door primary clinical streaming services in place. Clinical streaming triages patients on arrival and directs them to a clinically appropriate service and clinician. Patient streaming to other services can include on site primary care, same day emergency care services, mental health services and urgent treatment centres. As part of the Spring 2017 statement, the Chancellor announced £100 million ringfenced capital funding for up to 100 new triage projects at English hospitals to support the delivery of primary care streaming in all A&Es by October 2017, as a component of improving performance against the operational standard of at least, 95% of patients attending A&E to be admitted, transferred or discharged within four hours.

Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman

Fiona Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps the Government is taking to ensure the effectiveness of the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman.

Jackie Doyle-Price: The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman carries out independent investigations about unfair or improper or poor service by United Kingdom Government departments and their agencies, and the National Health Service in England. The Ombudsman is independent of Government, accountable directly to Parliament through the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee.

Dental Services: Fees and Charges

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that people are not issued with a penalty charge for ticking the wrong box on the claim form when claiming for free dental care.

Steve Brine: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Dental Services: Fees and Charges

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the press release entitled, Dentists welcome official investigation into fines hitting vulnerable NHS patients, published on 30 January 2019 by the British Dental Association; whether he has plans to simplify the process for claiming free dental care to reduce the number of fines issued for ticking the wrong box on dental forms.

Steve Brine: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

NHS: Members' Constituency Work

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 21 January 2019 to Question 209287 on NHS: Members' Constituency Work, when the NHS started to require hon. Members to have signed authority before replying to such Members on issues raised by constituents.

Caroline Dinenage: As set out in the answer of 21 January 2019 to Question 209287, there has been no change in policy with regards to obtaining consent of a patient for the purposes of an inquiry or investigation. Paragraph 24 of Schedule 1 to the Data Protection Act 2018 sets out the circumstances in which special categories of personal data, which would include health data, can be disclosed to Members of Parliament without the controller - here, the National Health Service body - having to obtain explicit consent from the data subject. This is discussed in the House of Commons Briefing Paper, Number 1,936 of 31 October 2018 ‘Data protection: constituency casework’ at the following link: http://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/SN01936/SN01936.pdf However, it remains the responsibility of the National Health Service body to satisfy itself that there is a legal basis under the General Data Protection Regulation/Data Protection Act for processing patient information (i.e. disclosing and sharing it for the purposes of the investigation). In the earlier answers to Questions 209287 and 208761, we said that a National Health Service body ‘must’ obtain the consent of the patient before disclosing patient information held by it in order to progress an inquiry from a Member of Parliament. There are circumstances in which a National Health Service body may provide patient information to a Member of Parliament without the Member evidencing the consent of the patient, so long as that information is provided in accordance with the requirements set out in paragraph 24 of Schedule 1 to the Data Protection Act 2018. We are arranging for the record to be corrected.

Health Insurance

Mr John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans the Government has to maintain mutual recognition of EU health insurance policies after the UK leaves the EU.

Stephen Hammond: Current reciprocal healthcare arrangements ensure that people from the United Kingdom and European Union countries can receive healthcare in each other's countries under certain conditions. The UK Government appreciates the importance of retaining existing reciprocal healthcare arrangements with the EU and has been clear in the negotiations that it wants to see the continuation of these arrangements when the UK leaves the EU. Subject to the Withdrawal Agreement being agreed by Parliament, during the implementation period all reciprocal healthcare rights will continue until December 2020 and there will be no changes to healthcare for pensioners, workers, students, tourists and other visitors, the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) scheme, or planned treatment. As part of its future relationship with the EU, the Government has been clear that is proposing continued participation in the EHIC scheme and continued cooperation on planned treatment. In the event the UK leaves the EU without an agreement, the Government is seeking to secure reciprocal arrangements bilaterally with individual member states.

Down's Syndrome

Fiona Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to monitor the effect of non-invasive pregnancy testing on the number of babies born with Down’s syndrome.

Jackie Doyle-Price: The national evaluative roll out for non-invasive pregnancy testing (NIPT) as a contingent screening test is yet to be implemented into the NHS Fetal Anomaly Screening Programme (FASP). Therefore, no information is held on the effect of NIPT on the number of babies born with Down’s syndrome. Once NIPT is rolled out, data on the choices women make regarding screening and/or diagnosis will be collected. Data will also be collected on the pregnancy outcomes of women who choose to have screening, including babies born with Down’s syndrome.

Syphilis

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the oral evidence of Dr Olwen Williams, the President of the British Association for Sexual Health and HIV, to the Health and Social Care Committee on Sexual Health on 5 February 2019, what steps his Department is taking to tackle the increase in the number of cases of syphilis diagnoses recorded in 2018.

Steve Brine: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Abortion

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the reasons for the increase in the rate of abortions among women aged 30 to 34 in the last 10 years.

Jackie Doyle-Price: The abortion rate for women aged 30-34 has increased steadily from 15.1 per 1,000 women in 2007 to 18.5 in 2017. This is a complex area and overall increases in conception rates for women aged 30-34 need to be taken into account in any assessment. We continue to monitor this trend.

Syphilis: Neonatal Mortality

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the oral evidence of Dr Olwen Williams, the President of the British Association for Sexual Health and HIV, to the Health and Social Care Committee on Sexual Health on 5 February 2019, what steps his Department plans to take to tackle the matter of neonatal deaths as a result of syphilis.

Steve Brine: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

NHS: Migrant Workers

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 5 February 2019 to Question 215173, what plans his Department has to work with EU nationals employed by the NHS to ensure that they stay in the UK and feel welcome and encouraged to do so.

Stephen Hammond: We have been clear from the beginning of this process that we want European Union nationals currently working in the National Health Service, to stay after we leave the EU. As part of this, we opened the public testing phase of the EU Settlement Scheme on 21 January 2019. Following a successful private testing phase in December 2018, the scheme is now open to all EU nationals in the United Kingdom. The Department has undertaken a targeted communications campaign with stakeholders, employers and representative bodies in the health sector to ensure that as many of our EU workforce are aware of the straight forward and user-friendly scheme that allows them to secure their long-term rights to stay and work in the UK after we leave the EU. Furthermore, to help facilitate as many applications as possible, the Prime Minister announced on 21 January 2019 that, as of 30 March 2019, all applications to the settlement scheme will be free. Additionally, where individuals have applied, or do apply, before that date, and are charged an application fee, then this fee will be refunded.

Breast Cancer: Screening

Nic Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 7 January to Question 203875, when NHS England plans to make a decision on which tumour profiling tests will be available to guide adjuvant chemotherapy decisions in early breast cancer.

Steve Brine: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Blood Diseases: Drugs

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure the supply of medications for bleeding disorders in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal.

Stephen Hammond: Treatments for bleeding disorders include pharmaceutical medicines as well as products derived from donated blood, such as clotting factors. As these are licensed medicines, they will be in scope of our medicine supply contingency plans. Contingency work for blood and blood components is being led by NHS Blood and Transplant. We understand that these medicines are vitally important to many people in this country. Our contingency plans include sensible mitigations for medicines that come to the United Kingdom from or via the European Union to ensure that the supply of medications for bleeding disorders and other essential medicines for patients is not disrupted. In August 2018, the Department wrote to all pharmaceutical companies that supply prescription-only and pharmacy medicines to the UK that come from, or via, the EU/European Economic Area (EEA) asking them to ensure a minimum of six weeks’ additional supply in the UK, over and above existing business-as-usual buffer stocks, by 29 March 2019. We recognise, however, that certain medicines cannot be reasonably stockpiled. Where these medicines are imported from the EU or EEA, we have asked that suppliers ensure in advance plans to air freight these medicines from the EU in the event of a ‘no deal’ exit. Whilst the stockpiling medicines and alternative air freight remains a critical part of our ‘no deal’ medicine supply contingency plans, we are also supplementing these with additional actions. We have further secured sufficient roll-on, roll-off freight capacity on alternative routes to enable these vital products to continue to move freely in to the UK. Medicines and other medical products will be prioritised on these routes to ensure that the flow of all these products will continue unimpeded after 29 March 2019. Throughout enacting our plans, we have received very good engagement from industry who share our aims of ensuring that the continuity of supply of medicines and medical products for patients is maintained and able to cope with any potential delays at the border that may arise in the short term in the event of a ‘no deal’ EU exit.

Medical Treatments: Innovation

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to page 77 of the NHS Long Term Plan, what criteria will determine which medical technology innovations are ready for adoption; and what plans are being put in place for the individualised support described in that document.

Jackie Doyle-Price: As part of the NHS Long Term Plan, NHS England sets out accelerating the uptake of proven, affordable innovations through a new funding mandate for diagnostics, devices and digital innovation. This will apply to innovations that the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has assessed as cost-saving. NICE will increase the number of evaluations for these products, and these assessments will form the basis of the ‘ready for spread’ status. Further work to develop implementation plans on criteria and the individualised support described in the NHS Long Term Plan is currently underway, and will be published later this year.

Department for International Development

Developing Countries: HIV Infection

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department are taking to tackle the stigma associated with HIV in developing countries to ensure that to ensure people seek access to treatment.

Alistair Burt: The UK government’s HIV response prioritises those still left behind by the huge progress made in recent years. These include adolescents, women and girls and under-served groups most affected by stigma, such as men who have sex with men, injecting drug users, sex workers and prisoners living with and affected by HIV.   For example, through the Robert Carr Civil Society Networks Fund we are supporting civil society networks of people affected by HIV to demand their rights, address stigma and discrimination and hold governments to account. The UK has committed £15 million to this Fund, since its start, to help champion their rights to access prevention and treatment services.

Developing Countries: Disability

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to tackle inequality and discrimination against disabled people in developing countries.

Harriett Baldwin: In July 2018, the UK Government co-hosted the Global Disability Summit to raise global attention on disability inclusion. DFID’s first Disability Inclusion strategy, published in December, sets out plans to mainstream disability inclusion across the organisation and provides a clear time-bound and targeted roadmap on how to do so. Tackling stigma and discrimination against people with disabilities was central to the summit and is one of the cross-cutting areas in the strategy.

Occupied Territories: Economic Situation

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development,  what steps her Department is taking to develop long-term economic sustainability in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

Alistair Burt: We have scaled up our work on economic development across the West Bank and Gaza. We are providing up to £38 million over five years (2018-2023) to help tackle the problems of low growth and high unemployment in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs). Our support will focus on efforts to increase trade and job creation by working with the Palestinian and Israeli authorities to enable greater movement and access for people and goods, and improve water and energy supply, particularly in Gaza. We will also continue to support the implementation of Paris Protocol measures in relation to the transfer of taxes and fees Israel collects on behalf of the Palestinian Authority (PA), and any measures agreed by the parties to transfer the responsibility of revenue collection. Our support in these areas will help thousands of Palestinians in their daily lives, support the financial sustainability of the PA and contribute to preserving the viability of the two-state solution.

Developing Countries: Technology

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent assessment her Department has made of how technology can be used to help achieve the UK’s development priorities in respect of (a) health, (b) agriculture and (c) disaster preparedness.

Harriett Baldwin: DFID is committed to harnessing the power of technologies to reduce poverty. In health, we are investing in the development of new diagnostics and medicines, to achieve global disease reduction targets and address the threat of antimicrobial resistance. In agriculture, we are applying new technologies to significantly improve farmers’ productivity, incomes and resilience, and help ensure agri-food systems deliver safe and nutritious food for a growing population. In disaster preparedness, we are piloting technologies such as unmanned aerial vehicles, to support humanitarian response and improve logistics, and funding research to combat the effects of climate change.

Iraq: Internally Displaced People

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent discussions her Department has had with the Government of Iraq on tackling the (a) number of displaced people and (b) need for housing in that country.

Alistair Burt: During my trip to Iraq in January, I emphasised to the new Government the importance of addressing underlying causes of conflict and the support that is required for the return of displaced families, which should be conducted on a safe, voluntary, sustainable and non-discriminatory basis.   Ensuring access to services and adequate shelter is essential for the return of IDPs. This is why the UK is funding the Iraq Reform and Reconstruction Fund (IRRF), which will provide support and technical assistance to the Government of Iraq as it reconstructs areas affected by conflict, including the rebuilding of houses, schools, hospitals, factories and roads. The IRRF will also support longer term economic reform and is aligned to the Government of Iraq’s strategic objectives, as set out in the National Development Plan and Reconstruction and Development Framework.

Department for International Development: Scotland

John Lamont: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what progress she has made on expanding administrative operations for her Department in Scotland.

Harriett Baldwin: DFID has continued to increase the number of staff based in its office in East Kilbride, Scotland. The number of Home Civil Servants employees based in Abercrombie House has increased from 600 in January 2015 to 904 in January 2019, and we continuously look to maximise the use of space in this office.

Developing Countries: Malaria

Jeremy Lefroy: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much her Department spent on programmes tackling malaria in (a) 2015-16, (b) 2016-17 and (c) 2017-18.

Alistair Burt: DFID contributes to the global effort to tackle malaria through bilateral programmes in countries, research, multilateral funding to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and the World Health Organisation (WHO), and through strengthening health systems in malaria affected countries.   The total estimated UK spend on malaria was £332 million in 2015/16, £499 million in 2016/17 and £481 million in 2017/18. All direct bilateral malaria spend and relevant multilateral contributions are available in Statistics on International Development. DFID is currently the second largest global funder of the effort against malaria and will remain a leading global donor in the future.

Developing Countries: Tropical Diseases

Jeremy Lefroy: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much her Department spent on programmes tackling Neglected Tropical Diseases in (a) 2015-16, (b) 2016-17 and (c) 2017-18.

Alistair Burt: Estimated UK spend on programmes tackling neglected tropical diseases was £48 million in 2015/16, £60 million in 2016/17 and £73 million in 2017/18. The figures include expenditure on programmes to prevent or treat neglected tropical diseases and funding for research.   In 2017, UK funded programmes delivered over 144 million treatments for neglected tropical diseases.

Developing Countries: Malaria

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much funding her Department has allocated to tackling malaria in each of the last three years.

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much funding her Department has allocated to (a) bilateral assistance, (b) multilateral organisations, and (c) research and development to tackle malaria in each of the last three years.

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what proportion of the funding allocated by her Department to tackle malaria was allocated to health system strengthening programmes in each of the last three years.

Alistair Burt: DFID contributes to the global effort to tackle malaria through bilateral programmes in countries, research, multilateral funding to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and the World Health Organisation (WHO), and through strengthening health systems in malaria affected countries.   The total estimated UK spend on malaria was £332 million in 2015/16, £499 million in 2016/17 and £481 million in 2017/18. DFID is currently the second largest global funder of the effort against malaria and will remain a leading global donor in the future. All direct bilateral malaria spend and relevant multilateral contributions are available in Statistics on International Development. All of our funding on malaria control, apart from that spent on research and development of products and the funding for commodity procurement, contributes to strengthening health systems.

Syria: Humanitarian Aid

Chris Law: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to provide humanitarian support to vulnerable children in the demilitarised zone in Idleb, Syria.

Alistair Burt: As of September 2018, DFID has committed additional aid funding of up to £32 million for Northern Syria. DFID’s education programming has so far contributed to improved access to better quality education for 270,000 children in Northwest Syria, including children inside and outside the de-militarised zone. Our support in Idlib has also provided safe spaces for children and victims of gender-based violence, funded capacity building of vital child protection services by Syrian organisations and provided immunisations for 95,000 children under five between January and June 2018.   We continue to advocate for the protection of all civilians in Idlib, including at the UN Security Council, and call on all parties to adhere to agreed ceasefires and cessations of hostilities. It is crucial that unhindered humanitarian access is maintained in Northwest Syria so that aid can reach those in desperate need, and that a reckless military offensive by the Syrian regime is avoided.

Somalia: Droughts

Chris Law: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to support Somalia in preparing for future droughts.

Harriett Baldwin: Since the devastating famine in 2011, the UK has been helping families and communities in Somalia better cope with drought and other shocks by improving water supplies, agriculture, health care and promoting economic development. We have also invested in early warning systems to better identify when and where drought will hit hardest. This means that when help is needed it can be quicker and better targeted. All this work enabled us to play a leading role, along with Somali and international partners, in preventing famine during a major drought in 2017. It is also reducing significantly the impact of humanitarian disasters due to drought and other causes in Somalia in the future.

Somalia: Marriage

Chris Law: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to prevent child marriage in Somalia.

Harriett Baldwin: The UK is supporting discussions in communities across Somalia to encourage an end to harmful practices, including child marriage. In 2018 our programme reached over 11,000 community members and 900 religious leaders across the country. We also continue to support UN efforts with the Ministry of Women and Human Rights to strengthen the implementation of policy and appropriate legislation aimed at protecting children from this practice.

Montserrat: Overseas Aid

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether she has plans to provide financial assistance for a new parliament in the British Overseas Territory of Montserrat.

Harriett Baldwin: Through its programme of Financial Aid to the Government of Montserrat, DFID supports the operational costs of Montserrat’s Legislature and Parliament. In recent discussions with DFID on the capital investment needs of the island the Government of Montserrat has not sought DFID support for a new Parliament building.

Business: Fairtrade Initiative

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to encourage businesses throughout the UK to purchase Fairtrade products.

Harriett Baldwin: The UK government is a strong supporter of the Fairtrade movement, which plays an important role in helping producers around the world improve their lives through receiving fair prices for their products. Between 2010 and 2018, the Department for International Development invested over £20.2m into Fairtrade.   DFID has funded the development of Fairtrace, a technology-based supply chain mapping tool which has helped Fairtrade to broaden their commercial customer base. The tool has been used by major UK businesses such as The Co-op and Ben & Jerry’s. In 2017, Fairtrace helped 7 major brands to map their supply chains; illustrating journeys from over 191 producer groups in over 23 countries.   The UK government will continue to champion this agenda as part of our commitment to improving the lives of smallholder farmers and to a free, fair and transparent trade system that helps lifts developing countries out of poverty.

Department for Education

Schools: Health Education

Sarah Champion: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Times article entitled Abortion is like crimes of Nazis, campaigners tell pupils in school, published on 31 January 2019, what steps he is taking to ensure children receive factually accurate health education.

Sarah Champion: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Times article entitled Abortion is like crimes of Nazis, campaigners tell pupils in school, published on 31 January 2019, if he will take steps to ensure Ofsted consider the accuracy of health education information provided at those schools.

Nick Gibb: The Department is clear that pupils should be taught the facts about health issues, including choices around pregnancy, in an age-appropriate way. The draft guidance for the new subjects of Relationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education and Health Education is currently being finalised following the public consultation that closed in November. It sets out that pupils should be taught the facts about contraception and pregnancy, and that pupils should be made aware of the relevant legal provisions when issues such as abortion are being taught. Information should be medically and legally accurate. The draft guidance also includes advice for schools when inviting external organisations to support teaching on these subjects.Subject to making the regulations, schools will be required to teach the new subjects from September 2020, but they will be encouraged and supported to start teaching them from September 2019 on a voluntary basis.Ofsted does not routinely report on individual curriculum subjects as part of school inspections, but inspectors expect to see the provision of a broad and balanced curriculum and are required to consider the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils, which will inform the judgment of a school.

Children: Disadvantaged

Vicky Foxcroft: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when he plans to publish the final part of his review of the support for children in need.

Nadhim Zahawi: The department launched its review of children in need (CIN) of help and protection in March 2018.In December 2018, we published interim findings, summarising what makes a difference to and what is needed to improve these children’s educational outcomes, alongside new data giving more insight into their experiences. Leaders and practitioners working with CIN can use the evidence in the report from now. For the final stage of the review, we are:working to bridge the gap between what is needed to improve outcomes for CIN and the current reality, including policy change where the evidence shows this is what is needed;building more robust evidence of what interventions work to improve the educational outcomes of CIN;continuing to develop our data and analysis of what influences the educational outcomes of CIN.We currently expect to have finished this work by the end of spring and will publish thereafter.Through the review, we are also undertaking ongoing work to build on existing cross-government action to improve outcomes for vulnerable children – including to tackle domestic abuse which is the primary need for children requiring support from children’s social care, and to improve mental health support for all children and young people.

Social Services: Children

Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, which local authorities use Xantura and other predictive algorithm technologies in children’s social care; what evidence his Department is aware of to support the use of those technologies; and what the total cost to the public purse of those technologies was in the latest period for which data is available.

Nadhim Zahawi: The information requested on which local authorities use Xantura or other predictive algorithm technologies in children’s social care or related expenditure on it is not held centrally.

Special Educational Needs: Solihull

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the (a) initial and (b) additional allocated budgets for special needs provision in Solihull schools have been in each of the last five years.

Nadhim Zahawi: Local authorities are required to provide schools with sufficient funds to enable mainstream schools to meet the additional cost of pupils with special educational needs (SEN) and disabilities, up to the value of £6,000. This funding comes from the schools’ block of the dedicated schools grant. While authorities will identify a notional SEN budget for each school within the school’s overall budget, that notional budget is not ring-fenced, and schools are expected to manage their overall budget to best meet the need of all their pupils, including pupils with SEN.When the costs of additional support required for a pupil with SEN exceed £6,000, the local authority should also allocate additional top-up funding to cover the excess costs. This top-up funding, and all funding for special schools comes from the local authority’s high needs budget. In December 2018, we announced an additional £250 million in high needs funding across the current financial year and the next, bringing Solihull’s total high needs funding to £27.2 million in 2018-19.The schools and high needs allocations for Solihull since 2013-14 are as follows: YearSchoolsHigh needs2014-15£130.2 million£24.1 million2015-16£142.0 million[1]£24.7 million2016-17£143.1 million£25.1 million2017-18£145.5 million£26.6 million2018-19£149.7 million£27.2 million[1] The 2015-16 schools funding allocation includes £9.39 million transferred through the Non-Recoupment Academies Cash Transfer. This is therefore not a like-for-like comparison with 2014-15 funding figures.

Children in Care: Education

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the provision of financial education for children in care.

Nadhim Zahawi: All children in care receive financial education at school. In 2014, financial literacy was made statutory within the citizenship curriculum for 11 to 16-year-olds. Pupils are taught the functions and uses of money, the importance of personal budgeting, money management and the need to understand financial risk. The new mathematics curriculum also teaches young people about the importance of personal budgeting, money management and financial risks. Some schools also include the teaching of financial education in their personal, social, health and economic education provision.However, we recognise that care leavers will often have to deal with the challenges of living independently, including managing their money, at a much earlier age than their peers. Statutory guidance therefore sets expectations on how local authorities should support children in care and care leavers to develop their financial literacy.The statutory guidance for children in care - ‘The Children Act (1989) guidance and regulations volume 2: care planning, placement and case review’ - makes clear that the young person’s experience of care should support him or her to develop the skills and competences that they will need when they reach legal adulthood and will no longer be looked-after.This expectation is reinforced in the statutory guidance on leaving care - ‘The Children Act (1989) guidance and regulations volume 3: planning transition to adulthood for care leavers’ - which requires local authorities to support care leavers to manage their financial resources and money, gradually helping them to take responsibility for themselves; and says that they must place an early emphasis on financial literacy and financial capability skills when developing the young person’s ‘Pathway plan’.Ofsted inspects the quality of local authority children’s services and reports on the quality of support provided to children in care and care leavers, including the extent to which local authorities are adequately supporting them for the challenges of living independently.

Adult Education: Expenditure

Royston Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of the adult skills budget is spent on short course programmes.

Anne Milton: In 2017-18, 19% of the adult education budget was spent on entry and level 1 learning aims (excluding maths, English, ESOL – English for speakers of other languages - and traineeships). In addition, 18% of the adult education budget was spent on community learning. These low-level aims and community learning aims tend to be of shorter duration.

Special Educational Needs: Barnsley

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much funding his Department has allocated to special needs provision in schools in Barnsley; and what the average allocation was for schools in England in each of the last five years.

Nadhim Zahawi: Local authorities are required to provide mainstream schools with sufficient funds to enable them to meet the additional cost of pupils with special educational needs and disabilities, up to the value of £6,000. This funding comes from the schools block of the dedicated schools grant. While authorities will identify a notional special educational needs (SEN) budget for each school within the school’s overall budget, that notional budget is not ring-fenced, and schools are expected to manage their overall budget to best meet the needs of all their pupils, including pupils with SEN.When the costs of additional support required for a pupil with SEN exceed £6,000, the local authority should also allocate additional top-up funding to cover the excess costs. This top-up funding, and all funding for special schools comes from the local authority’s high needs budget. In December 2018, we announced an additional £250 million in high needs funding across the current financial year and the next, bringing Barnsley’s total high needs funding to £22.2 million in 2018-19.The schools and high needs allocations for Barnsley since 2014-15 are as follows: YearSchoolsHigh needs2014-15£126.9 million£18.4 million2015-16£132.1 million£18.4 million2016-17£133.7 million£18.9 million2017-18£137.4 million£21.5 million2018-19£142.9 million£22.2 million  As funding for special needs in mainstream schools’ budgets is not ring-fenced, the information on how much top-up funding Barnsley Council has allocated to the schools in Barnsley is not held centrally. It is not possible to provide a meaningful comparison of the average allocation for special needs provision in schools in Barnsley and England.However, it is possible for Barnsley Council to compare their high needs spending with that of other local authorities using our high needs benchmarking tool which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/high-needs-strategic-planning-fund.

Special Educational Needs: Hearing Impairment

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to increase the number of specialist teachers for deaf children.

Nadhim Zahawi: I am determined that all children and young people, including those who are deaf or have a hearing impairment, receive the support they need to achieve the success they deserve.I met with the National Deaf Children’s Society (NDCS) on 21 November to find out more about their concerns and officials are engaging directly with NDCS to better understand the issues raised regarding the number of teachers of the deaf.

Overseas Students: Finance

Mr Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what criteria EU citizens will have to fulfil to be eligible for postgraduate funding in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal.

Chris Skidmore: In July 2018 we announced guarantees on student finance for EU nationals. These guarantees apply in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal. EU nationals (and their family members) who start a course in England in the 2019/20 academic year or before will continue to be eligible for ‘home fee’ status, undergraduate and postgraduate financial support from Student Finance England for the duration of their course provided they meet the existing residency requirement.For postgraduate loans, EU nationals must have resided in the European Economic Area or Switzerland for the 3 years prior to the start of their course. The purpose of that 3 year residency should not have been mainly for the purpose of receiving full time education.

Overseas Students: Finance

Mr Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will establish a service for EU citizens in the UK to obtain advice on their (a) educational status and (b) eligibility for funding support.

Chris Skidmore: I know that students, staff and providers are concerned about what EU exit means for study and collaboration opportunities. To help give certainty, we have given guarantees on student finance for EU nationals who start a course in England in 2019/20 academic year or before.The department will continue to work closely with the Student Loans Company to ensure that students, including EU nationals, and institutions have the information they need on access to student finance support in England in good time.

Overseas Students: Finance

Mr Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether EU citizens with confirmed places at university will continue to be funded for the duration of their courses in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal.

Chris Skidmore: To help give certainty in July 2018 we announced guarantees on student finance for EU nationals.These guarantees apply in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal: EU nationals (and their family members) who start a course in England in the 2019/20 academic year or before will continue to be eligible for ‘home fee’ status and student finance support from Student Finance England for the duration of their course, provided they meet the residency requirement.

Schools: Uniforms

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a voucher scheme to (a) cover in full or (b) subsidise the costs of school uniforms for children from households whose annual income is less than £16,000.

Nick Gibb: It is for the governing body of a school to decide whether there should be a school uniform policy and if so, what that should be.In England, some local authorities (LAs) already provide discretionary grants to help with buying school uniforms. LAs that offer these grants set their own criteria for eligibility. Further, schools can also choose to use the pupil premium funding that they are allocated to help support their disadvantaged pupils to offer subsidies or grants for school uniform; this would be a decision for the school to make.The cost of uniform should not act as a barrier to obtaining a good school place. All children should be able to attend a school of their parents’ choice wherever possible. No school uniform should be so expensive as to leave pupils or their families feeling unable to apply to, or attend, a school of their choice.The Department’s best-practice guidance advises schools that, in setting their school uniform policy, they should give the highest priority to cost considerations and achieving value for money for parents. The guidance is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-uniform.

Genocide: World War II

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much his Department has spent on funding teacher training to support teachers in facilitating lessons on the holocaust in classroom settings in each year since 2015.

Nick Gibb: Since 2015 the Department has provided the Centre for Holocaust at UCL with £500,000 a year to train trainee and serving teachers to teach this important subject and to set up a network of schools to share good practice. In addition, the Department funds the Holocaust Education Trust’s ‘Lessons from Auschwitz’ programme, one element of which provides teachers with visits to Auschwitz that are designed to improve their teaching of the Holocaust. Total funding for the programme since 2015 is shown in the table below. A new grant agreement is in place for 2019-22.2015-162016-172017-182018-19£1,850,000£1,954,479£2,002,758£2,080,054 The Department is fully committed to Holocaust education. The recent disturbing report by the Community Security Trust, which shows that anti-semitic incidents continue to rise, shows how important it is to continue to educate children about the Holocaust and the lessons it provides for today.

Academies Enterprise Trust: Finance

Lucy Powell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will publish details of the financial turnaround plan agreed between his Department, the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) and the Academies Enterprise Trust (AET), including (a) how much public money provided by the ESFA has been earmarked to fund AET staff redundancy costs, (b) whether interest is being charged on any grants or loans to AET, (c) the loan repayment schedule for any such grants or loans, (d) financial savings AET is forecast to make while the plan is implemented and (e) whether the plan includes arrangements for outsourcing any AET staff.

Nick Gibb: The Department for Education has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Special Educational Needs

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will add a prominent hyperlink to the SEND Gateway on his Department's website.

Nadhim Zahawi: We regularly refer stakeholders and organisations to the SEND Gateway for helpful resources and materials on special educational needs and disability (SEND). There is also a link to the SEND Gateway through the ‘Commissioning a SEND review’ webpage on GOV.UK. That webpage can be accessed through the following link: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/commissioning-a-send-review.

Disabled Students' Allowances: Computers

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 6 February 2019 to Question 213927, if he will make further financial assistance available to students already in receipt of the maximum amount of maintenance loan who are required to pay £200 in order to receive specialist computer hardware allocated to them under the Disabled Student Allowance.

Chris Skidmore: A basic computer is now a mainstream cost of study for all students, disabled or not. ​We believe it is therefore reasonable for students to fund this £200 from their Maintenance Loan. Students from the lowest-income households who started their courses this year have access to the largest ever amounts of cash-in-hand support for their living costs.

Ministry of Justice

CAFCASS

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will review the effectiveness of the content on domestic abuse in the Children and Family Court Advisory Service's separated parents information programme guidance.

Lucy Frazer: The Separated Parents Information Programme (SPIP) is a course for separated parents that helps them to understand how to put their children first, even though they may be in dispute with one another. SPIPs are aimed at parents where there are no safeguarding concerns and are not designed to provide comprehensive advice on domestic abuse. The SPIP content is reviewed regularly, and is currently under review. All Cafcass practitioners are social workers with at least three years’ post qualifying experience, and all social work staff joining Cafcass receive specialist training on domestic abuse. Cafcass has developed a Domestic Abuse Practice Pathway and recently launched a Child Impact Assessment Framework (CIAF) to provide its practitioners with additional tools to assess the impact of domestic abuse and inform its recommendations to the court about child arrangements. Cafcass keeps both tools under review.

Prisoners: Injuries

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what estimate he has made of the number of (a) male and (b) female prisoners who have suffered a traumatic brain injury at some point in their life.

Edward Argar: The MoJ does not hold information on the number of male and female prisoners who have suffered a traumatic brain injury. NHS England commission health care services in prison and so may capture this information locally as part of their screening process. On 6th February 2019, The Disabilities Trust published their ‘Making the Link’ Evaluation Report on their service to support female offenders with acquired brain injury in HMP Drake Hall. The report found that, of the 173 female offenders screened at HMP Drake Hall, 64% reported a history indicative of a brain injury. In 2017-2018, The Disabilities Trust also ran a Brain Injury Linkworker pilot at six sites in the adult male estate. Findings from this pilot suggest that acquired brain injury is a key issue to be considered within the secure environment. Recent studies that have examined the prevalence of traumatic brain injury in prisons in England and Wales indicate this may affect 46% to 70% of the male population. It is right that as a society we endeavour to better understand, diagnose and address the symptoms of brain injuries. This is equally true for the Criminal Justice System. We are working closely with NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care to carefully consider the recommendations from both pilots, alongside other emerging evidence, to help determine next steps to better support this cohort of vulnerable offenders.

Court Orders

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many noise abatement orders have been granted by courts in England in each of the last five years.

Lucy Frazer: This information would need to be retrieved from individual court files and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Birmingham Prison: G4S

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether G4S will resume management of HMP Birmingham once the safety standards of the prison have improved; and if he will make a statement.

Rory Stewart: The Ministry of Justice has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Department for International Trade

UK Trade and Investment Defence and Security Organisation: Staff

Wera Hobhouse: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 19 December 2018 to Question 202327 on UK Trade and Investment Defence and Security Organisation: Staff, whether the total workforce of 155 in the Defence and Security Organisation includes the Export Support Team.

Graham Stuart: Yes – the figure includes the Defence and Security Organisation’s Export Support Team.

Business: West Midlands

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what estimate his Department has made of the level of overseas direct investment (a) put in to the West Midlands economy and (b) invested abroad by West Midlands-based businesses in each year that information is available.

George Hollingbery: In the last three years the Department for International Trade has recorded the following overseas direct investment projects and new jobs into the West Midlands. YearProjectsNew Jobs2017/181719,4242016/171516,5702015/1616811,119 The Department does not currently publish figures relating to UK companies investing overseas.

Department for International Development: Department for Exiting the European Union

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what steps his Department is taking to improve communications with the Department for Exiting the European Union to ensure that areas of dual responsibility are most effectively addressed.

George Hollingbery: My Department maintains a strong and positive relationship with DExEU. We work closely and collaboratively at all levels in order to deliver an independent trade policy after we exit the EU. Officials meet daily to ensure we continue to align our planned activities in areas of dual and wider responsibilities.

Arms Trade: Saudi Arabia

Lloyd Russell-Moyle: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, with reference to the three extant Open Individual Trade Control Licences for bombs and missiles to Saudi Arabia, who manufactured those bombs and missiles; how many have been transferred under the Licences in each year since those Licences were granted; and what the value is of each such transfer in each of those years.

Graham Stuart: No Open Individual Trade Control Licences have been granted for bombs and missiles to Saudi Arabia. We believe the question was intended to ask about the three Open Individual Export Licences (OIELs), relating to Storm Shadow and Brimstone air-to-surface missiles, manufactured by MBDA and Paveway bombs, manufactured by Raytheon. We do not hold data for the number of weapons exported under an OIEL each year. OIEL applications do not include values because OIELs are generally not restricted by quantity.

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Human Rights

Alex Sobel: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department's review of the consultation on powers for dealing with unauthorised development considered compliance with the (a) the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance, (b) the UN Committee on the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, (c) the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and (d) the Council of Europe Advisory Committee on the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities.

Kit Malthouse: The Government considered its compliance with all its international commitments, and its duties under the Equality Act 2010, in preparing the consultation on powers for dealing with unauthorised development and encampments, and in preparing its response. The Government’s response to the consultation was published on 6 February, and includes a range of measures to promote the provision of traveller sites, and sets out details of wider support to improve outcomes for the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller community.

Veterans: Homelessness

Dr Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many former (a) regular (b) reserve Service personnel at each rank have been classified as statutorily homeless in each year since 2000.

Mrs Heather Wheeler: The Government collects quarterly and annual statistics on how many people approach local authorities as homeless in England. Until April 2018, veterans formed part of a wider vulnerable group category that included: care leavers, ex-offenders and those who have fled home because of violence or the threat of violence (other than domestic violence). As a result, individual statistics on homeless veterans before that date are not published.In April 2018 the Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government introduced a new case-level data collection called H-CLIC (Homelessness Case Level Information Collection). This gives local authorities and Government more information regarding homelessness and those presenting as homeless, including those individuals who are veterans as a separate category. The Government does not differentiate between regular and reserve personnel, nor does it record rank.In England from April to June 2018, of the 58,660 households to who, at the point of initial decision, were owed a homelessness duty by the local authority, 0.7 per cent (430) of main applicants had served in the armed forces.The latest local authority level statistics, and quarterly statistics since 2009, can be found here:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-homelessnessData from earlier years can be found here:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-homelessness#discontinued-tablesThis Government is committed to reducing homelessness and rough sleeping. No one should ever have to sleep rough. That is why last summer we published the cross-government Rough Sleeping Strategy which sets out an ambitious £100 million package to help people who sleep rough now, but also puts in place the structures that will end rough sleeping once and for all. The Government has now committed over £1.2 billion to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping over the spending review period.

Veterans: Sleeping Rough

Dr Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many ex-service personnel (a) in each service, (b) of (i) regular and (ii) reserve status and (c) who (i) have and (ii) have not completed a pensionable engagement have been classified as rough sleepers in each year since 2000.

Mrs Heather Wheeler: The Department does not collect statistics on whether or not people sleeping rough have served in the armed forces.However, the Combined Homelessness and Information Network (CHAIN) a multi-agency database that represents the UK's most detailed and comprehensive source of information on rough sleeping in London. According to CHAIN, 3 per cent of the rough sleeping population in London have self-declared as having served in the armed forces.This Government is committed to reducing homelessness and rough sleeping. No one should ever have to sleep rough. That is why last summer we published the cross-government Rough Sleeping Strategy which sets out an ambitious £100 million package to help people who sleep rough now, but also puts in place the structures that will end rough sleeping once and for all. The Government has now committed over £1.2 billion to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping over the spending review period.

Social Services: Children

Matthew Pennycook: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the effect on children receiving social care of the decision to distribute the social care support grant via the adult social care relative needs formula rather than the children’s services relative needs formula.

Rishi Sunak: At Autumn Budget 2019, the Chancellor made available £410 million in 2019/20 for social care services in local authorities – both adult and children’s social care. We proposed in the provisional local government finance settlement to distribute these resources based on the existing Adult Social Care relative Needs formula, as the best available method. Consultation responses overwhelmingly supported this approach which was confirmed at final settlement. Local authorities have welcomed the additional funding and the discretion to spend in a way which best fits their community’s needs.

Landlords: Licensing

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, which local authorities operate a selective licensing scheme for private landlords.

James Brokenshire: The Government only holds information on schemes that require the approval of the Secretary of State. Since 2015, schemes which cover more than 20 per cent of a local authority’s private rented stock or geographical area require approval. Eight schemes have been approved by the Secretary of State in the following local authority areas: Blackpool, Brent, Burnley, Hyndburn, Newham, Nottingham, Peterborough and Redbridge.

Local Government Ombudsman

Fiona Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps the Government is taking to ensure the effectiveness of the Local Government Ombudsman.

Rishi Sunak: The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government acts as the sponsor Department for the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO) Governance arrangements are set out in a publicly-available Framework Document (https://www.lgo.org.uk/information-centre/about-us/others-we-work-with) and include quarterly Accounting Officer meetings, chaired by the Department’s Senior Sponsor and attended by the LGSCO’s Chief Executive, that cover performance, risk, finance and other key issues The Ombudsman is independent of Government in all matters relating to the investigation, determination, reporting and remedy of complaints.

Social Rented Housing: Mental Illness

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what guidance his Department has issued to local authorities on the provision of social housing for people with mental health problems.

Kit Malthouse: The statutory 'reasonable preference’ requirements ensure that priority for social housing is given to certain people, including those who need to move for medical or welfare reasons. Statutory guidance issued to local authorities in 2012 (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/allocation-of-accommodation-guidance-for-local-housing-authorities-in-england) includes ‘a mental illness or disorder’ as one of the indicators of the medical and welfare reasonable preference category.We are consulting on proposals for new statutory guidance for local authorities designed to improve how members of the Armed Forces community are allocated social housing (https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/improving-access-to-social-housing-for-members-of-the-armed-forces). The proposals include setting out how local authorities can ensure that members of the Armed Forces and Veterans suffering from mental ill health are given appropriate priority.In the Social Housing Green Paper we set out our intention to undertake an evidence collection exercise to help us understand how the allocations system is working and

Buildings: Insulation

Mr Steve Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant the Answer of 4 February 2019 to Question 214560 on Buildings: Insulation, if he will publish the bespoke test methodology which the Building Research Establishment (BRE) has developed.

Kit Malthouse: BRE Report Number P111324-1006 (M5D6V1), titled “fire performance of cladding materials research – experimental methodology and performance criteria ”, sets out in detail the proposed methodology. A copy has been placed in the House library.

Buildings: Insulation

Mr Steve Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant the Answer of 4 February 2019 to Question 214560 on Buildings: Insulation, whether building material such as cladding or insulation that fails the bespoke test will be removed.

Kit Malthouse: The Department’s Advice Note 14, issued in December 2017 and updated in December 2018, made clear that if non-Aluminium Composite Material (ACM) materials in cladding systems are not of limited combustibility, or are not part of a wall system which has passed a BS 8414 test, building owners should take professional advice and consider remediation measures, with the clearest way to ensure fire safety being to remove unsafe materials. The forthcoming bespoke test programme is designed to investigate the burning behaviour of selected types of non-ACM cladding products. The Department will consider, in the light of the findings of the tests, and with the advice of the Independent Expert Panel, whether any further action is necessary.

Buildings: Insulation

Mr Steve Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant the Answer of 4 February 2019 to Question 214560 on Buildings: Insulation, if his Department will publish a consolidated schedule of all the materials that it intends to test before that testing is carried out.

Kit Malthouse: The current list of materials proposed to be tested has been selected in consultation with the project steering group, which is made up from the cross section of experts in this field.The list consists of: zinc composite material, copper composite material, aluminium honeycomb, high pressure laminates, brick slip systems and reconstituted stone.Where the composition varies between products within one of these generic material types, more than one product will be investigated.

Buildings: Insulation

Mr Steve Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant the Answer of 4 February 2019 to Question 214560 on Buildings: Insulation, if his Department will publish guidance for building owners and local authorities with buildings with High-Pressure Laminate cladding before the BS 8414 test is carried out outlining what steps should be taken if that system fails the test.

Kit Malthouse: The Independent Expert Panel has regularly considered the risks of non-Aluminium Composite Material (ACM) and the action the Department should take. As a result, in December 2018, the Department issued updated advice to building owners about how to investigate non-ACM cladding systems on their buildings, and how to remediate them. The Department will consider, in the light of the findings of the research and with the advice of the Independent Expert Panel, whether any further action is necessary.

Buildings: Insulation

Mr Steve Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant the Answer of 4 February 2019 to Question 214560 on Buildings: Insulation, whether his Department will undertake a BS 8414 test on a system with rendered Expanded Polystyrene insulation.

Kit Malthouse: There is no intention to do so currently. However, at our request, information on BS 8414 tests carried out by manufacturers and other sponsors has been made available for building owners and their professional advisers. These include several systems using rendered expanded polystyrene insulation.

Non-domestic Rates

David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what estimate he has made of the amount that he (a) has allocated and (b) will allocate to each local authority area from the £10 billion of business rates support.

Rishi Sunak: The Government has introduced a range of business rates reforms and measures in England estimated to be worth over £13 billion between 2019-20 and 2023-24. It is not possible to accurately estimate support at a local authority level.

Private Rented Housing: Housing Benefit

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 4 February 2019 to  Question 214495 on Private Rented Housing: Housing Benefit, if he will ask the UK Statistics Authority to collect data on the number of fines brought by local authorities against private landlords.

Mrs Heather Wheeler: We have no plans to collect this information centrally. It is for local authorities to decide how they work with private landlords in their area and we want to minimise the reporting burden on them.

Noise

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many environmental health staff with responsibility for dealing with noise nuisance were employed in local authorities in England in each of the last five years.

Rishi Sunak: Local authorities are independent entities and the Government has no role in any such workforce or business planning issues.

Housing: Noise

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether (a) local authorities and (b) housing providers are required to notify the occupant of property A before noise recording equipment is installed in property B in connection with suspected noise nuisance from property A.

Kit Malthouse: The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Antisemitism

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to Answer of 24 April to Question 136144 on Antisemitism, what progress his Department has made on creating a database of (a) symbols, (b) slogans and (c) flags that may be illegal as a result of their use to incite hatred.

Mrs Heather Wheeler: MHCLG supported the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) to create and populate a database of symbols of proscribed organisations for use by police forces. Information about the impact that these symbols and others have on community tensions has also been included.

Cemeteries: Vandalism

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what (a) steps his Department has taken and (b) representations his Department has made to (i) local authorities and (ii) the police to protect (A) Islamic and (B) Jewish cemeteries from incidents of targeted vandalism and desecration.

Mrs Heather Wheeler: Vandalism and the desecration of cemeteries are unacceptable criminal offences and we expect police forces to take any reports seriously. In cases where these are aggravated by hostility towards particular religious communities they will be investigated as hate crimes and may attract a sentence uplift if prosecuted.We work closely with stakeholders including the Community Security Trust and Tell MAMA who support religious communities to increase reporting and respond effectively to hate crime.

Ministry of Defence

Army: Recruitment

Alex Sobel: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many inquiries the British Army received as a result of its recruitment campaign referring to millennials, binge gamers, phone zombies, and snowflakes.

Mark Lancaster: The latest Army recruitment campaign has received a very promising amount of interest, evidenced by the high number of hits to the Army jobs website and increased applications since its launch. In the first five days of the campaign applications to join the Army were more than 20% higher than the comparable period last year, and 35% more than 2017.While it is premature to assess the success of the campaign, early indications suggest a strong start in attracting candidates to join the Army.

RAF Menwith Hill: Ministry of Defence Police

Alex Sobel: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much money has been reimbursed to the public purse by the US Administration for the cost of services provided by the Ministry of Defence Police at RAF Menwith Hill in the last 12 months.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: I am withholding the cost of the services provided by the Ministry of Defence Police at RAF Menwith Hill in the last 12 months for the purpose of safeguarding national security.

Chinook Helicopters: Accidents

Wayne David: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he will be depositing all records relating to the 1994 Chinok helicopter crash in the National Archives at Kew.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: All important records relating to the 1994 Chinook helicopter crash at the Mull of Kintyre will be selected for permanent preservation. Records selected for permanent preservation are ultimately transferred to The National Archives.

Department for Work and Pensions

Universal Credit

Ruth George: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether trade unions and the Trade Union Congress have been consulted on the managed migration of universal credit.

Alok Sharma: Holding answer received on 07 January 2019



The Trade Union Congress and some individual trade unions responded to the Social Security Advisory Committee report on the draft Universal Credit Managed Migration Regulations 2018 and we actively consult with trade unions and the Trade Union Congress. The Department is working with a diverse group of around 80 stakeholder organisations, including Trade Union representation, to ensure the widest possible range of insights are played into the design of Universal Credit Managed Migration. This group will evolve over time as we work with different stakeholders at different stages in the process.

Jobcentre Plus: Standards

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether Jobcentre Plus performance measures are based upon (a) a reduction in the number of people claiming a benefit or (b) an increase in the number of people entering a sustained period of employment.

Alok Sharma: DWP collects labour market performance data based on the number of people entering employment. This provides information on the number of people in employment after 3 months claiming Universal Credit, the number of sustained jobs and the number who do not have any spell of employment.

Post Office Card Account: Rural Areas

Stephen Kerr: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential effect on elderly people in rural areas of the planned discontinuation of the Post Office card system.

Guy Opperman: The Government’s contract for the Post Office card account comes to an end on 30 November 2021. For those claimants and pensioners who are unable to open a mainstream account ahead of this date, the DWP will implement an alternative payment service that allows users to obtain cash payments in their local area (including suburban and rural locations) before the end of the contract. When commissioning this alternative payment service, it will be our priority to ensure that elderly vulnerable people are protected and catered for. Our communications with Post Office card account users will highlight that 99% of a banks’ personal customers, are able to withdraw cash, deposit cash and cheques, and make balance enquiries at a Post Office counter via its network of 11,600 branches. Therefore, those receiving benefit and pension payments into a bank account can continue to collect their money from the Post Office so there should be minimal effect on elderly people in rural areas. We have already introduced a phased conversion process ahead of 2021 and we will be writing to all Post Office card account users to ensure they are provided with an alternative payment service.

Universal Credit: Support for Mortgage Interest

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 31 January 2019 to Question 213323 on Universal Credit, what steps her Department takes to monitor and record repayments of Support for Mortgage Interest.

Justin Tomlinson: SMI loan repayments are recorded on the Department’s loan management administration system.

Social Security Benefits: Terminal Illnesses

Mrs Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people who have been on a DS1500 for over three years have had their benefits (a) reviewed and (b) withdrawn; and what conditions did they have.

Sarah Newton: The DS1500 is not a claim form and it is not obligatory to use it to provide evidence to support claims from people who are terminally ill. The information requested is not collated centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Social Security Benefits: Terminal Illnesses

Mrs Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, which medical bodies and clinicians the Chief Medical Officer liaised with to develop the guidance in the benefit system on terminal illness.

Sarah Newton: The rules for people who are terminally ill were introduced into Attendance Allowance in 1990 following a recommendation from the Social Security Advisory Committee. The rules have been carried forward into a number of benefits unchanged and now apply across Attendance Allowance, Disability Living Allowance, Employment and Support Allowance, Personal Independence Payment and Universal Credit. The Department has recently met with a range of stakeholders, including leading clinicians, to discuss the current wording used in the benefit system around terminal illness, with the aim of improving guidance on terminal illness cases and understanding of the rules. This is part of our continuous improvement work to improve people’s experience of claiming benefits.

Carer's Allowance

Mrs Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 11 January 2019 to Question 203813, how many people applied for carer’s allowance in relation to personal independence payment claimants who died after registering but prior to her Department making a decision on their claim.

Sarah Newton: We do not hold administrative data where we could identify people who had applied for Carer’s Allowance in relation to caring for a person who had registered for Personal Independence Payment who died after registering but prior to the Department making a decision on the claim.

Motability: Children

David Linden: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make representations to Motability on the allocation of funding to provide vehicles to children under the age of three that rely on bulky medical equipment from donations received from Motability operations.

Sarah Newton: Motability and the Family Fund are independent charities who, after being introduced by the Department, developed a pilot scheme to support families with children under the age of three that rely on bulky medical equipment. We understand that Motability intend to significantly increase the scale of this project in order to help some of the most severely disabled children in the coming years. I look forward to them sharing their plans for this important initiative.

Social Security Benefits: Fraud

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people were given prison sentences for benefit fraud in each of the last three years.

Justin Tomlinson: The Department for Work and Pensions is committed to taking effective action against those who commit benefit fraud. This can include prosecutions resulting in prison sentences. The table below details the total number of people who were given prison sentences as a result of a prosecution for benefit fraud in each of the last three full years. YearImprisonedImprisoned  (suspended sentence)2015/162801,2002016/172201,0602017/18130950*Please note that all figures have been rounded to the nearest ten.

Pensions: EU Countries

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans he has to provide support to UK citizens in receipt of EU pensions in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal.

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what contingency plans her Department has to support UK citizens receiving pensions from EU Member States who cannot access those pensions in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal.

Guy Opperman: The UK State Pension will continue to be paid worldwide when the UK leaves the EU. The Withdrawal Agreement guarantees that those UK citizens who are within its scope can continue to receive state pensions paid by other EU Member States. In the event the UK leaves the EU without a deal, the Government has guaranteed that EU citizens resident in the UK by 29 March 2019 will be able to work, study, and access benefits and services on broadly the same terms as now. The Government continues to urge the EU and all its Member States to make the same commitment to protect the rights of UK nationals. In a Communication COM(2018) 890 on 19 December 2018, the European Commission calls on Member States to protect social security entitlements acquired by citizens who exercised their right to free movement prior to 30 March 2019. This includes exporting State Pensions to UK nationals who acquired these pension entitlements from Member States prior to that date.

Cold Weather Payments: Banff and Buchan

David Duguid: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people in the Banff and Buchan constituency have received Cold Weather Payments in each of the last five years.

Justin Tomlinson: The Cold Weather Payment scheme is administered at weather station level rather than any other standard GB geography such as constituency level. The coverage area for each weather station is determined by the Met Office which assesses the most appropriate weather station for each postcode area. Cold weather payments are triggered when the average temperature recorded at the weather station has been recorded as, or is forecast to be, 0oC or below over seven consecutive days, during the Cold Weather season (November to March). The constituency of Banff and Buchan covers all or part of the following postcode areas: AB41-5, AB51, AB53-4, and AB56. The above postcode areas are covered by three weather station: Aboyne, Dyce, and Kinloss. Qualifying individuals living in this area will have received a payment in respect of a seven-day period of Cold Weather, as shown in Table 1. Table 1 Estimated number of Cold Weather Payment recipients, by year and weather stationWeather station2013/142014/152015/162016/172017/18Aboyne07,000¹7,000¹7,0007,000²Dyce000017,000¹Kinloss0013,000012,000¹ There were two triggers at this weather station; recipients will have received two payments in that year. ² There were five triggers at this weather station; recipients will have received five payments in that year. Aboyne, Dyce and Kinloss weather stations cover the following postcode areas, in Table 2, which include constituencies other than Banff and Buchan. We estimate that 78,000 payments, to 36,000 recipients, were made in this area as a whole in respect of the triggers in 2017/18. We are not able to break this figure down to a lower level. Table 2 Postcode sectors mapped to Weather StationsWeather stationPostcode Sectors CoveredAboyneAB30-34, AB38, AB51-55, DD8-9.DyceAB10-16, AB21-25, AB39, AB41-43.KinlossAB44-45, AB56, IV1-3, IV5, IV7-12, IV15-20, IV30-32, IV36.  Notes The number of recipients and payments given here is an estimate as information on the exact number is not readily available. These figures are produced by determining the volume of eligible recipients in each weather station area at the start of the winter season and using these figures throughout the winter to estimate payments and expenditure based on the actual triggers recorded. The number of payments made is not necessarily the total number of individuals benefitting from a Cold Weather Payment. Any individuals making a joint claim for one of the qualifying benefits, such as a couple living together, will receive one payment between them rather than one payment each. Furthermore, if a weather station triggers more than once throughout a cold weather season then the recipients will receive more than one payment. Estimates of Cold Weather Payments are published weekly during the Cold Weather season. The latest published estimates can be found at the link below: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/social-fund-cold-weather-payments

Personal Independence Payment

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for what reason personal independence renewal documents may not be processed when they are received by her Department, which resulted in my constituent Ms Selina Wilkinson's personal independence payment being stopped.

Sarah Newton: The only time when renewal documents would not be processed is if they are received after the deadline. The deadline is determined in legislation and claimants have one calendar month to return their renewal forms - although duplicate forms and extensions to the deadline can be considered if the claimant requests it. However, all Personal Independence Payment renewal forms which are received after the deadline are looked at to see if they satisfy the legal test to determine if there was a good cause for lateness. If there was a good cause, the form is accepted; the case is reconsidered and the award review is processed.Additionally, where vulnerable claimants are identified as requiring additional support, further steps will be put in place to ensure that the claimant has had the opportunity and support to provide all relevant information before a final decision is made. I will be happy to look into the specific details of this case if personal details are provided.

Access to Work Programme

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 5 December to Question 193360 on Access to Work Programme, how many of the access to work elements that were approved in 2016-17 included elements assessed as costing (a) over £1,000 and (b) under £1,000.

Sarah Newton: The requested information is not available. When an individual receives approval for an element of support, Access to Work does not assess the cost. Once an element is approved, the customer will source supplier quotations. Access to Work will work with the customer and use these quotations, along with other factors, such as employer cost-share, to calculate the final Access to Work payment amount.

Universal Credit: Private Rented Housing

Alex Norris: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to Answer of 5 February 2019 to Question 215231 on Universal Credit: Private Rented Housing, what timings her Department records when measuring time elapsed relating to complaints received from Private Rental Sector Landlords about universal credit full service tenants.

Justin Tomlinson: All complaints received by the Department from any source are handled in accordance with the complaints process published on Gov.uk.

Employment: Epilepsy

Paula Sherriff: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to increase the number of people with epilepsy entering employment.

Sarah Newton: We are taking steps to support disabled people and people with health conditions, including those with epilepsy, to enter employment through initiatives like the Work and Health Programme, Personal Support Package and the recently-announced Intensive Personalised Employment Support Programme (IPES), which will see more than £40m invested in a new highly personalised package of support to disabled people who are at least a year away from moving into work. We also offer extensive, personalised support to new and existing disabled workers through Access to Work. In addition, we engage with employers through Disability Confident. The scheme, developed by disabled people, employers and disability organisations, encourages employers to think differently about disability and to take action to improve how they attract, recruit and retain disabled employees. Over 10,500 businesses have signed up to the Disability Confident scheme since it was launched in November 2016.

*No heading*

Andrew Rosindell: Whether her Department has plans to redesign the reassessment process for benefit recipients with severe mental or physical disabilities.

Sarah Newton: We are committed to assessing people with health conditions and disabilities fairly and accurately, and helping people to access the right support. We made a clear commitment in Improving Lives: The Future of Work, Health and Disability to reform the Work Capability Assessment (WCA) and recognise the importance of getting this right. We are therefore testing new approaches to build the evidence base for what works, and working with external stakeholders to inform future changes to the WCA. Over the last year we have introduced new guidance into Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) and Universal Credit (UC), as well as updated guidance for Personal Independence Payment (PIP) to improve the service we provide for those with the most severe/lifelong conditions. For ESA/UC since September 2017 we have switched off routine reassessments for those who meet the Severe Conditions criteria, and since August 2018, those receiving the highest level of support in PIP, whose needs are unlikely to change or may get worse, will now receive an ongoing award with a light touch review at the ten year point.

*No heading*

Justin Madders: What recent assessment her Department has made of the (a) accuracy and (b) efficiency of contracted-out health assessments for (i) employment and support allowance and (ii) personal independence payment.

Sarah Newton: We are committed to ensuring claimants receive high quality assessments. Providers are closely monitored against a range of measures including through independent audit to improve accuracy and decision making. We are seeing continuous improvement in PIP assessment quality and recent data shows both PIP providers meeting quality expectations. We continually look to improve the efficiency of the assessment process by working closely with health assessment providers and the disabled people the Department supports.

*No heading*

Chris Stephens: What recent assessment she has made of trends in the level of pensioner poverty; and if she will make a statement.

Guy Opperman: This Government has seen the absolute poverty rate for pensioners fall to record lows, with over 200,000 fewer pensioners in absolute poverty before housing costs. Rates of material deprivation for pensioners are also at record lows.We have reduced pensioner poverty close to historically low levels, lifting the incomes of millions of older people. Since 2009/10, material deprivation for pensioners has fallen from 10 per cent to 7 per cent in 2016/17 and since 2010 there are 200,000 fewer pensioners in absolute poverty, a record low.The Government is committed to action that helps to alleviate levels of pensioner poverty. In 2018/19 we will spend £121.5 billion on benefits for pensioners, including £97 billion on the State Pension for this year.The Government has also committed to up-rating the basic State Pension by the highest of the growth in earnings, prices or 2.5 per cent - the 'triple lock' guarantee. This will mean that the full basic State Pension will be around £1450 per year higher in 2018/19 than in 2010. The Government has committed to the triple lock for the remainder of this Parliament.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Statutory Instruments

Luke Pollard: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will grant access to his Department’s Statutory Instrument reading room to Parliamentarians to enhance pre-laying scrutiny of Statutory Instruments.

David Rutley: The Reading Room was developed based on feedback from stakeholders to give them advanced sight of SIs before they are laid in Parliament. It is an online platform where stakeholders can check the technical aspects of near-final SIs before they are laid before Parliament. It has been designed with a specific audience in mind. Parliamentarians are able to scrutinise these SIs through the usual process. Unlike stakeholders, Parliamentarians have a significant scrutiny timetable and can chose to accept or reject the SIs.

Agriculture: Ammonia

Andrea Jenkyns: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Government's press release entitled Government launches world leading plan to tackle air pollution, published in 14 January 2019, what the evidential basis is for the statement that agriculture is responsible for 88% of ammonia emissions.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: The data used in compiling this statistic are 2016 figures from the UK National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory (NAEI) which is available via the uk-air.defra.gov.uk website. The NAEI reports emissions of air pollutants from all sources including the agriculture sector.

Agriculture: UK Trade with EU

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the effects of WTO tariffs on farmers in the event of the UK leaving the EU without a deal.

George Eustice: The UK is a net importer of many agricultural products including pigs, poultry and beef. The imposition of WTO tariffs in the event of leaving the EU without a deal will be lower on those sectors. The sheep sector exports 30% of production primarily to the EU so is more exposed. Currency adjustments are likely to mitigate some of the effects as well as food price inflation within the EU market for lamb but we anticipate there would still be negative impacts from a no deal exit for the sheep sector.

Natural England: Finance

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 19 November 2018 to Question 189648 on Natural England: Finance, whether Natural England has plans to charge for its services.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: Natural England already charges for a range of services, in line with HMT guidance and Natural England’s legal powers.

Bovine Tuberculosis: Compensation

Dr Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much compensation has been paid to owners of pedigree cattle testing positive for bovine TB i each month since that scheme began.

George Eustice: The attached table shows the total amount of compensation paid to keepers in England for pedigree animals compulsorily slaughtered for bTB control purposes in each month since February 2006, when the current scheme began. Please note that the months detailed in the table reflect when the animals were slaughtered, which may not always correspond to the date compensation payments were made.



Compensation paid to keepers in England
(Word Document, 14.81 KB)

Air Pollution

Dr David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to his Answer of 4 February 2019 to Question 213914 and with reference to page 11 of the 2018 report of the Air Quality Expert Group (AQEG) entitled Ultrafine Particles (UFP) in the UK, if he will list the studies that the AQEG report states show highly effective removal of UFP by their pollution control systems.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: The 2018 Air Quality Expert Group (AQEG) report ‘Ultrafine Particles (UFP) in the UK’, lists a number of studies that show highly effective removal of UFP by their pollution control systems. The references for these are: Hinds, W. C. Aerosol Technology. Wiley, New York, 1999. Johnson, D. R. Nanometer-sized emissions from municipal waste incinerators: A qualitative risk assessment. J. Hazard. Mater, 320, 67-79, 2016. Jones, A. M., Harrison, R. M. Emission of ultrafine particles from the incineration of municipal solid waste; a review. Atmos. Environ., 140, 519-528, 2016.

Agriculture: Technology

Damien Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to mitigate the effects of tech farming initiatives on the livelihood of people employed in the farming industry.

George Eustice: The UK is home to world-leading farmers who have been producing high-quality food while playing a vital role in protecting the environment and keeping our rural areas and communities economically healthy. When we leave the EU the possibilities for healthy growth are all the greater and the Government is keen to work with industry so that agriculture is an exciting and forward looking industry that attracts talented people. The use of the latest and emerging technologies will play an important role in creating a profitable farming sector.

Schools: Air Pollution

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what guidance his Department provides to local authorities on the restriction of vehicle exhaust fumes close to school premises at the opening and closing times of those premises.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: Local authorities have powers regarding traffic and roads. This includes the power to introduce a Clean Air Zone under the Transport Act 2000 should they wish to do so. Their local knowledge and interaction with the communities that they serve mean that they are better able to know the issues on ground in detail, and the solutions that may be necessary or appropriate to the locality. In England, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) sets out the national policy framework for tackling harmful air pollution. Local measures, such as those aimed at reducing exposure around schools, are taken by local authorities to whom air quality actions are delegated. The Government provides guidance, including helpdesk advice, to local authorities to assist them in carrying out their local air quality management responsibilities. Where local authorities conduct air quality monitoring, they are expected to site monitors in accordance with local and national priorities, which may include schools and other locations where there is high risk of public exposure.

Pesticides

Caroline Lucas: the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 31 January 2019 to Question 211705 on Pesticides, if he will publish the (a) conclusions of the Government’s review of the National Action Plan for the Sustainable Use of Pesticides and (b) stakeholder submissions that contributed to that review.

George Eustice: In line with EU Directive 2009/128, we have in place a National Action Plan for the Sustainable Use of Pesticides (NAP) that we must review every five years. The Government has reviewed the existing NAP and concluded that it is remains fit for purpose. Looking forward, the Government proposes to undertake a broader review of pesticides policy and will work closely with all interested parties as we develop our evidence base and policy thinking.

Rural Areas: Poverty

Dr David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how the Government measures rural poverty; what steps the Government is taking to tackle rural poverty; and what plans the Government has to include rural poverty in its policies on rural proofing.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: The Government uses a range of measures of poverty, including relative and absolute low income. 16 per cent of rural households were in relative low income before housing costs, compared with 18 per cent of urban households. After housing costs, the gap widens, with 17 per cent of rural households in relative low income compared with 24 per cent of urban households. Government policy is based on economic prosperity and helping people out of poverty wherever they live. In October 2018 the Government announcement that it had accepted in full the recommendations the Low Pay Commission made for future minimum wage rates. These future rates were announced by the Chancellor in the Budget. The National Living Wage will increase by 4.9% to £8.21 per hour and rates for younger workers will also increase above inflation and average earnings from 1 April 2019. In the Government’s response to the House of Lords’ report on the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act, the Government reiterated its commitment to rural proofing policies from the earliest stages across all departments. There is a continuous dialogue between Defra and other government departments on rural proofing policies. This includes policies that address poverty and other social issues.

Environment Protection: EU Grants and Loans

Angela Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans he has to replace (a) EU LIFE funding and (b) EU BEST funding for programmes after 2020.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Oxford West and Abingdon, Layla Moran, on 1 February 2019, PQ UIN 213461.

Home Office

Diamorphine: Glasgow

Mr Paul Sweeney: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 19 November 2018 to Question 191442 on Diamorphine: Glasgow, what the timetable is for the decision on whether to grant a diamorphine prescribing licence to Glasgow City Health and Social Care Partnership.

Victoria Atkins: All ‘premises’ licence applications- which are considered by the Home Office and, if granted, would allow a specific organisation to possess controlled drugs at a specific address- are considered individually on their merits. We expect to reach a decision on the premises licence application early this year.

Police: Finance

Ms Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of police funding.

Mr Nick Hurd: Last year, I spoke to all 43 polices force in England & Wales about the demands they face. The 2018/19 funding settlement provided an increase of over £460m in total investment in the police system this financial year, including an increase of around £280m in funding for Police & Crime Commissioners through council tax precept.In his Autumn Budget speech, the Chancellor recognised that the police are under pressure from the changing nature of crime. The Home Secretary is reviewing police spending power ahead of the 2019/20 police funding settlement to ensure the police have the resources they need.We are continuing to work closely with the police to build the evidence base on police demand, resilience and capability.

Home Office: Meetings

David T. C. Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, on how many occasions Ministers of his Department have had meetings with (a) A Woman's Place, (b) Transgender Trend and (c) Fair Play for Women in the last three years.

Victoria Atkins: Our records indicate that the Secretary of State for the Home Department and the Ministers of his department have had official meetings with; (a) A Woman’s Place on 0 occasions, (b) Transgender Trend on 0 occasions, and (c) Fair Play for Women on 0 occasions in the last three years. This does not include meetings these organisations may have attended where there were multiple organisations represented, or informal meetings at external events.

Animal Welfare: Horses

Luke Hall: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will estimate the (a) number of hours spent by the police on and (b) cost to the police of tackling animal welfare concerns relating to horses in the last 12 months.

Mr Nick Hurd: The Home Office does not collect this information. Decisions about the allocation of police resources and deployment of officers are for Chief Constables and democratically accountable PCCs. They are responsible for ensuring the needs of the local community are met.The Government is supporting the police to respond to changing demand with an over £460m increase in total investment in the police system this financial year, including an increase of around £280m in funding for Police & Crime Commissioners through council tax precept. The Chancellor recognised in his Budget speech that the police are under pressure from the changing nature of crime and that the Home Secretary would review police spending power ahead of the 2019/20 police funding settlement.Police and local authorities have powers under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 to investigate animal welfare issues. We would not expect the police to deal with horse-related welfare problems unless there was a public safety issue, such as horses loose on roads. Anyone can bring a prosecution under the 2006 Act, and it is on this basis that the RSPCA prosecute people for animal cruelty, including to horses.In relation to the unlawful placement of horses on other people’s land for grazing (fly-grazing), the Control of Horses Act 2015 gives land owners powers to remove horses which have been left on their land without their permission. If anyone is concerned about the welfare of a horse in a field they can report it to the local authority who can investigate under the 2006 Act or they can report it to the RPSCA or World Horse Welfare who will also investigate.

Ministerial Economic Crime Strategic Board: Non-governmental Organisations

Dame Margaret Hodge: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for what reason no economic crime or anti-corruption NGOs were brought on to the board of the new Economic Crime Strategic Board.

Mr Ben Wallace: The Economic Crime Strategic Board (ECSB) will drive the public and private sector response to economic crime by: setting priorities; directing resources; and scrutinising performance against the economic crime threat. Board members include the UK’s Anti-Corruption Champion whose role is to oversee the government’s response to domestic and international corruption.The Champion and other Board Members regularly engage with external stakeholders, including civil society organisations. This provides civil society with a channel to share their views with the ECSB on the development and implementation of policy. Other board members include other government Ministers, heads of law enforcement, CEOs of the major banks and senior representatives from the accountancy, legal and property sectors.

Ministerial Economic Crime Strategic Board: Non-governmental Organisations

Dame Margaret Hodge: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the new Economic Crime Strategic Board plans to consult with economic crime or anti-corruption NGOs.

Mr Ben Wallace: The Economic Crime Strategic Board (ECSB) will drive the public and private sector response to economic crime by: setting priorities; directing resources; and scrutinising performance against the economic crime threat. Board members include the UK’s Anti-Corruption Champion whose role is to oversee the government’s response to domestic and international corruption.The Champion and other Board Members regularly engage with external stakeholders, including civil society organisations. This provides civil society with a channel to share their views with the ECSB on the development and implementation of policy.

Cannabis

Alex Sobel: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether there are plans to reclassify cannabis use as a health and not a criminal issue.

Mr Nick Hurd: The Government has no intention of reviewing the classification of cannabis and it will remain a class B drug. The evidence from the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs is that cannabis is a “significant public health issue and can unquestionably cause harm to individuals and society”.The Government’s Drug Strategy 2017 underlines the importance of coordinated action to tackle the harms of drugs through reducing demand, restricting supply, building recovery and taking global action

Iraq: Yazidis

Brendan O'Hara: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will take steps to ensure that his Department's country guidance on Iraq recognises that Yazidis face persecution across that country.

Brendan O'Hara: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to his Department's Iraq: country policy and information notes, updated in November 2018, what assessment his Department has made of the safety of (a) Yazidis and (b) other religious minorities in Basra.

Caroline Nokes: Our position on handling claims made by religious minorities in Iraq, including Yazidis, is set out in the Home Office’s country information and guidance document of August 2016 published on gov.uk website.Each case is considered on its individual facts against relevant country information and relevant caselaw. The country information is taken from a range of reliable sources, including reputable media outlets; local, national and international organisations, including human rights organisations; and information from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Consideration of an individual’s personal circumstances, including their ability to relocate, would be considered as part of an assessment.Our conclusions are that, in general religious minorities, including Yazidis, are not at risk of persecution or serious harm from the state authorities in Iraq. However, a person from a religious minority is likely to be a risk of persecution from Daesh in the ‘contested’ areas (Anbar, Diyala, Kirkuk, Ninewah and Salah al-Din), and from armed groups, including the Shia militia, in Baghdad.  A person from a religious minority may not be able to obtain protection from the state in areas outside the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI). However, decision makers would consider whether there are any circumstances, including family, tribal or political links, in which a person can obtain effective protection.A person from a religious minority at risk can relocate to the southern governorates (including Basra), and the KRI, if not unduly harsh for them based on their individual circumstances.

Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (EU Exit) Regulations 2019

Dr Lisa Cameron: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether The Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (a) make policy changes, (b) decrease scrutiny of project licences, (c) decrease the provision of statistics and reporting of information on the methods of killing specified in section 2C licences, (d) weaken advancement in the area of alternative methods by removing a requirement on the Secretary of State to identify and nominate suitable laboratories to carry out validation studies on alternative strategies, (e) potentially have other effects on animals in laboratories, compared to the legislation being amended or replaced.

Mr Ben Wallace: The delivery of the animals in science regulatory framework will continue with the same standards of oversight, rigour and scrutiny following the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union.The Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 do not alter the requirement for the UK to publish annual statistics on the use of animals in science.The Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 regulations do not alter either the Guidance on the Operation of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act, which sets out its administration and enforcement, nor the published Code of Practice on the housing and care requirements for animals used in science. The Code of Practice will retain the requirements of Directive 2010/63/EU and any other higher standards already adopted by the UK.

Islamic State: British Nationals Abroad

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate his Department has made of the number of UK residents who have returned to the UK in the last 12 months after fighting with Daesh overseas.

Mr Ben Wallace: Around 900 people of national security concern travelled from the UK to engage in the conflict in Syria and Iraq. Of these, approximately 20% have been killed while overseas, and around 40% have returned to the UK.The majority of those who have returned, did so in the earlier stages of the conflict, and were investigated on their return. A significant proportion of these individuals are assessed as no longer being of national security concern.Only a very small number of travellers have returned in the last 12 months.

National County Lines Coordination Centre

Anneliese Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the remit of the National County Lines Coordination Centre is.

Victoria Atkins: The Home Office provided £3.6m to establish the National County Lines Coordination Centre (NCLCC) to enhance our cross border intelligence and activity on county lines and to better safeguard and protect victims of county lines. NCLCC supports operational policing as well as providing a central point at which intelligence and information is shared on county lines activity.The NCLCC comprises a team of experts from the National Crime Agency, police officers and Regional Organised Crime Units working together to develop the national intelligence picture of the complexity and scale of the county lines threat, prioritising action against the most serious offenders, protecting the exploited and engaging with partners across government, including in the health, welfare and education spheres, to tackle the wider issues associated with county lines.

Police: Finance

Louise Haigh: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the level of the Special Grant for 2019-20; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Nick Hurd: As set out in the recent funding settlement, the amount of Special Grant funding available in 2019/20 will be £73 million. This is a reduction on the 2018/19 figure, when additional funds were provided to cover the cost of the Commonwealth Summit. However, the 2019/20 Special Grant fund is more than £20m higher than in 2017/18.

Visas: Clergy and Religious Orders

Eddie Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of (a) current and (b) future visa requirements and processes for Catholic clergy and members of religious orders.

Caroline Nokes: The Government values the role of faith in public life and recognises the contributions made by faith groups to our communities in the UK. This is reflected in our existing bespoke visa arrangements for religious workers and Ministers of Religion.On 19 December 2018, the Government’s published its White Paper on the future immigration system. We want to continue to attract those who make valuable contributions to the practicing of faith and to our communities across the UK and will continue to offer arrangements for religious groups.

Immigration: EU Nationals

Sir Vince Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 28 January 2019 to Question 210043, with what organisations and agencies other than HMRC, the Department for Work and Pensions and the NHS his Department has shared data; for what purposes; and how many instances of data sharing there have been for each purpose.

Caroline Nokes: The Home Office will only collect and process personal data where we have a legal basis to do so and it is necessary and proportionate. The Home Office collects and processes personal data to fulfil its legal and official functions.The Home Office may share information with other organisations, but only where the information needs to be shared and there is a legal basis for doing so. Further detail on this, including the categories of organisations with which we may share data, is set out in the Home Office personal information charter:https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/home-office/about/personal-information-charterand, for the Borders, Immigration and Citizenship System (BICS), including the EU Settlement Scheme, via the BICS privacy information notice:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/personal-information-use-in-borders-immigration-and-citizenship

Deportation: Commonwealth

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many charter flights have been scheduled for (a) removals, (b) deportations and (c) mixed removals and deportations to Commonwealth countries for March 2019.

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many charter flights have been scheduled for (a) removals, (b) deportations and (c) mixed removals and deportations to Commonwealth countries for April 2019.

Caroline Nokes: For operational reasons, the Home Office does not disclose details of the returns charter flight programme.

Metropolitan Police: Expenditure

Louise Haigh: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 31 January 2019 to Question 213415, what the total amount requested by the Metropolitan Police was between 2017-18 and 2018-19 for which the Government chose to award £22 million in Special Grant funding.

Mr Nick Hurd: Please see attached document with answer.



PQ answer 
(Word Document, 24.28 KB)

Immigration: EU Nationals

Patrick Grady: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many fees for settled status applications his Department has processed since 21 January 2019.

Patrick Grady: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much money his Department has collected in fees for applications for Settled status from (a) adults and (b) children.

Caroline Nokes: As the Prime Minister announced on 21 January, there will be no fee for applications under the EU Settlement Scheme when we roll out the scheme in full by 30 March. Everyone who has applied during the pilot phase, or who does so, and has paid a fee will be reimbursed. The Home Office will set out further details shortly. The Home Office will update Parliament on the public pilot phase in due course.

Immigration: EU Nationals

Patrick Grady: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, under what circumstances an EU Citizen applying for Settled Status will be required to pay for biometric enrolment.

Patrick Grady: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of waiving biometric enrolment fees for EU citizens and their family members.

Caroline Nokes: There is no Home Office fee to enrol biometrics when applying to the EU Settlement Scheme and there is no requirement for EU citizens to enrol fingerprint biometrics. Where enrolment of fingerprints is required – for example, for those non-EEA citizen family members of EU citizens who do not already hold a biometric residence permit – the standard options for enrolment apply, details are published on gov.ukhttps://www.gov.uk/guidance/ukvis-new-front-end-services-what-you-need-to-knowAs announced by the Prime Minister on 21 January, the application fee for the Settlement Scheme will be removed from 30 March, when the scheme is rolled out in full, and any application fees already paid will be refunded.

Cabinet Office

Conflict, Stability and Security Fund

Helen Goodman: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will publish the amount of funding over £50,000 allocated to country programmes under the Conflict, Stability and Security Fund in 2018-19.

Mr David Lidington: The Cabinet Office is responsible for both the Conflict Stability and Security Fund (CSSF) and Prosperity Fund overall. CSSF and Prosperity Fund ODA programme spend is also detailed on Devtracker and year end ODA spend is detailed by project level via the Statistics on International Development, which is published annually in November for the previous year. The Prosperity Fund Annual Report provides details of the total spend by programme for the previous financial year. The Annual Report for 2018/19 will be published later this year. Information on Prosperity Fund ODA eligible programme spend is published regularly on gov.uk https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/official-development-assistance-oda-fco-prosperity-fund-spend The CSSF has published programme summaries, which outline the programme’s funding allocation (split by Official Development Assistance (ODA)/non-ODA), objectives and project level activities for 2018/19 - https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/conflict-stability-and-security-fund-programme-summaries#programme-summaries-2018-to-2019 The CSSF Annual Report provides details of the CSSF’s total spend and breaks down by region and thematic area. The Annual Report for 2018/19 will be published later this year.

Absent Voting

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the process by which people travelling overseas are able to register to vote by proxy.

Chloe Smith: Electors who are registered to vote but will be travelling abroad during the time of an election are able to apply for a proxy vote for that particular poll or polls. The application must be made in writing, it must include specific information about the elector and their proxy, and the reason for applying for a proxy.

Elections: Proof of Identity

Cat Smith: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the press release entitled Next round of Voter ID pilots announced for 2019, published 3 November 2018, which local authorities are (a) continuing to take part in and (b) have withdrawn from the pilot process; and what the reasons were for each local authority that has withdrawn.

Chloe Smith: The British public deserves to have confidence in our democracy. The Government is committed to making sure that our electoral system is fit for the future. A diverse range of local authorities have confirmed that they will be taking part in Voter ID and postal vote pilots for the 2019 local elections. The pilots will provide further insight into ensuring the security of the voting process. Since the publication of the press release entitled ‘Next round of Voter ID pilots announced for 2019’ published 3 November 2018, East Staffordshire, Peterborough, and Ribble Valley have withdrawn from the 2019 voter ID pilot scheme. We are grateful to the Returning Officers in each of these local authorities for volunteering to pilot voter ID. In each case, we respect the Returning Officer’s decision to withdraw from the May 2019 voter ID pilots. Craven Borough Council has confirmed its participation in the 2019 voter ID pilot scheme. Craven will pilot the mixed photographic and non-photographic voter ID model. Voters in Pendle and Woking will be asked to show photo ID before they are given their ballot papers. Broxtowe, Derby, North Kesteven, Craven and Braintree will require voters to present either one form of photo ID or two forms of non-photo ID. Mid Sussex, Watford and North West Leicestershire will test using poll cards as a means of identification. In addition, Pendle will run a separate postal vote pilot, looking at the security of postal votes and providing additional guidance in postal vote packs.

Treasury

Freezing of Assets: Libya

Mr Laurence Robertson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what information his Department holds on Libyan assets frozen in the UK that were deposited by (a) the Libyan Government and (b) non-government organisations or individuals; and if he will make a statement.

John Glen: The Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI) undertakes an annual frozen asset review. This requires all persons that hold or control funds or economic resources that are owned, held or controlled by a designated person and subject to UK financial sanctions to report them to OFSI. OFSI also gathers information through the exercise of its statutory powers.OFSI’s Annual Review provides an aggregate figure for the value of Libyan frozen funds held by UK institutions (£12.061 billion at close of business on 29 September 2017). HM Treasury cannot, however, provide detailed information regarding frozen assets held by specific designated persons.

Treasury: Staff

John McDonnell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether non-payroll staff working in (a) the Financial Conduct Authority and (b) The Royal Mint are included in the statutory Gender Pay Gap reporting.

John McDonnell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the diversity statistics published in the 2017-18 report and accounts of (a) the Financial Conduct Authority and (b) The Royal Mint include non-payroll staff.

John McDonnell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether non-payroll staff working in (a) the Financial Conduct Authority and (b) The Royal Mint are included in the Public Sector Equality Duty Objectives 2016-20.

John Glen: Non-payroll staff are not included in either the gender Pay Gap reports or in the diversity statistics published in the 2017-18 reports and accounts of (a) the FCA and (b) The Royal Mint. Non-payroll staff working at a) the FCA and b) The Royal Mint are expected to comply where appropriate with their organisation’s Public Sector Equality Duty Objectives 2016-20.

Tax Avoidance

Charlie Elphicke: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will take steps to ensure that UK firms are prevented from avoiding tax by merging with dormant EEA companies under EU Single Market Rules.

Mel Stride: The Government takes tax evasion, avoidance, and aggressive tax planning seriously and is committed to tackling it to ensure that everyone from individuals to the largest companies, pay their fair share. The legislation implementing EU rules contains protections against abuse and HMRC will vigorously challenge any attempts to misuse provisions to avoid UK tax.

Tax Avoidance

Ellie Reeves: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent steps he has taken to tackle providers of loan scheme arrangements which have (a) promoted and (b) enabled tax avoidance schemes.

Mel Stride: This Government is committed to tackling avoidance in all its guises. HMRC has a suite of powers to tackle and challenge those who promote or otherwise enable tax avoidance and HMRC is using its powers to challenge all major promoters of avoidance schemes, including disguised remuneration (DR) avoidance schemes. In recent years, HMRC has been investigating over 100 promoters and others involved in avoidance, including disguised remuneration arrangements. In the last year, HMRC has taken litigation action against 5 scheme promoters for failure to disclose under Disclosure of Tax Avoidance Schemes (DOTAS) with others deciding to disclose to avoid litigation. Further cases will be litigated in the year ahead. HMRC has used its powers under the Promoters of Tax Avoidance Schemes (POTAS) legislation to challenge promoters and made three successful complaints to the Advertising Standards Authority about misleading advertising; two of which relate to disguised remuneration schemes. In addition, the ‘Enablers’ penalty regime, introduced in Finance (No. 2) Act 2017, means anyone who knowingly enables another person to use an abusive tax arrangement that is later defeated by HMRC will face a penalty of 100% of the fees they have earned from that activity. HMRC consider criminal investigation and referrals to prosecuting authorities where appropriate. Since the announcement of the 2019 loan charge at Budget 2016, HMRC has agreed settlements on disguised remuneration schemes with employers and individuals of over 650 million pounds. Overall, 75% of this amount is expected to come from employers, and only 25% from individuals. If scheme users repay the loan or agree a settlement for the tax that they owe with HMRC, they will not face the charge. HMRC has also introduced a simplified process for those who choose to settle their use of DR avoidance schemes before the loan charge arises. DR scheme users who currently have an income of less than £50,000 and are no longer engaging in tax avoidance can automatically agree a payment plan of up to five years without the need to give HMRC any information about their income and assets. This arrangement has been extended to 7 years for scheme users who have an income of less than £30,000.

Tax Avoidance

Ellie Reeves: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he has taken to (a) review all loan charge cases and (b) ensure that individual cases are pursued proportionately to their circumstances.

Mel Stride: Disguised Remuneration (DR) schemes are contrived arrangements that pay loans in place of ordinary remuneration with the sole purpose of avoiding income tax and National Insurance contributions. HMRC is working hard to help individuals get out of tax avoidance for good and is encouraging anyone who is concerned about their ability to pay what they owe, to contact them as soon as possible to discuss their position. In November 2017, HMRC set up a dedicated helpline for those wanting to settle their avoidance scheme use, and discuss payment options. HMRC will work with all individuals to reach a manageable and sustainable payment plan wherever possible. Since the announcement of the 2019 loan charge at Budget 2016, HMRC has agreed settlements on disguised remuneration schemes with employers and individuals of over 650 million pounds. Overall, 75% of this amount is expected to come from employers, and only 25% from individuals. If scheme users repay the loan or agree a settlement for the tax that they owe with HMRC, they will not face the charge. HMRC has also introduced a simplified process for those who choose to settle their use of DR avoidance schemes before the loan charge arises. DR scheme users who currently have an income of less than £50,000 and are no longer engaging in tax avoidance can automatically agree a payment plan of up to five years without the need to give HMRC any information about their income and assets. This arrangement has been extended to 7 years for scheme users who have an income of less than £30,000. Those who consider they need more than five (or seven) years to pay what they owe or who earn £50,000 or more should still come forward and talk to HMRC about payment terms. There are no defined minimum or maximum time periods for payment arrangements and HMRC can tailor any payment plan to their individual financial circumstances.

Equitable Life Assurance Society: Compensation

Layla Moran: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will meet representatives of the Equitable Members Action Group to discuss compensation for Equitable Life investors before the spring financial statement.

John Glen: Since 2010, we have taken more action than any previous government to resolve this issue by allocating up to £1.5bn, tax free, for payment to affected policyholders. There are no plans to allocate any further funds to the Equitable Life Payment Scheme. I set out the government’s clear position on this matter at my meeting with the All Party Parliamentary Group on this issue, and again at the recent parliamentary debate. As the government’s position has not changed, there are no plans to meet the Equitable Members Action Group.

Financial Services Ombudsman

Fiona Bruce: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps the Government is taking to ensure the effectiveness of the Financial Services Ombudsman.

John Glen: The Government has legislated to ensure the effectiveness of the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS). Under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is required to take such steps as are necessary to ensure that the Ombudsman is capable of exercising its functions and is empowered to make rules concerning the FOS. The FCA keeps those rules under review to ensure the continued effectiveness of the FOS. The FCA appoints all of the Non-Executives of the FOS Board (including the Chair, with HM Treasury’s approval). Furthermore, under the Financial Services Act 2012, HMT must lay the FOS’s annual report and accounts before Parliament, the FOS is made subject to statutory NAO audit and must publish reports of determinations. The continued effectiveness of the FOS is a key government priority, which is why on the 6th of February 2019 I visited the FOS to see for myself how it is preparing for the future.

Gold and Foreign Exchange Reserves

Peter Dowd: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 5 February 2019 to Question 215206 on Gold and Foreign Exchange Reserves, if he will list the (a) 70 countries who are gold customers of the Bank of England and (b) total value of the gold deposited in those countries' accounts.

John Glen: Holding gold on behalf of any customer is a matter for the Bank of England. The Bank of England does not share information on which customers it holds gold reserves on behalf of, or the value of that gold, as this would contradict their customer confidentiality obligations. However, the Bank of England does publish the weight of all the gold it has in its custody. As of 31 October 2018, it held a total of 163,769,000 fine troy ounces of gold.

Revenue and Customs: Bootle

Peter Dowd: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will publish in full the business case and any documents relating to the financial evaluation of the decision to close St John's House HMRC office in Bootle.

Mel Stride: The business case for HMRC’s estates transformation covers the Locations Programme as a whole rather than individual offices, and is not specifically focused on its decision to close St John’s House, Bootle. HMRC’s Programme Business Case for the ten-year period to 2025-26 has been reviewed by the Major Projects Review Group and was approved by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury in July 2017. HMRC’s location strategy will result in savings of around £300 million up to 2025. The Programme will also deliver annual cash savings (compared to 2015-16 costs) of around £90 million from 2028, while delivering workspaces necessary for HMRC’s transformation and resulting in increased collaboration and greater flexibility.

Income Tax: Tax Rates and Bands

Stella Creasy: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will publish the number of higher rate tax payers in each constituency in each of the last five years.

Mel Stride: Estimates of the number of higher rate tax payers, in each parliamentary constituency for tax years 2011-12 to 2015-16, are attached. These estimates include additional rate tax payers who also pay higher rate tax. These estimates are based on the annual Survey of Personal Incomes (SPI) for each tax year. Estimates for parliamentary constituencies, should be treated with caution as they are based on much smaller samples than national or regional estimates. For more information about the SPI, please refer to:https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/personal-incomes-statistics



PQ attachment
(Word Document, 71.48 KB)

Motor Vehicles: Liquefied Petroleum Gas

Mary Glindon: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment the Government has made of the financial benefits for drivers of LPG vehicles; and whether the Government has plans to reduce tax for drivers who have converted their vehicle to run on LPG.

Robert Jenrick: The government uses the tax system to encourage the purchase of cars with low carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Vehicles powered by Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG) benefit from a reduced rate of fuel duty in comparison to the main road fuel rate. Budget 2018 extended the current duty differential until 2032, subject to review in 2024. Furthermore, from 1 March 2001, cars powered by LPG, including those converted following first registration, receive a £10 discount on their annual VED payment.

Infrastructure

Chris Ruane: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will list the planned large-scale national infrastructure projects which have been cancelled by (a) private sector entities, (b) public sector entities and (c) public private partnerships in each of the last nine years; and what the (i) location and (ii) estimated value was of each such project.

Robert Jenrick: The National Infrastructure and Construction Pipeline, published annually by the Infrastructure and Projects Authority, provides updates on the progress of the priority projects listed in the National Infrastructure Delivery Plan 2016-2021. Please see the latest 2018 Analysis of National Infrastructure and Construction Pipeline here : https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-infrastructure-and-construction-pipeline-2018 Link to the National Infrastructure Delivery Plan 2016-2021: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-infrastructure-delivery-plan-2016-to-2021 The IPA has published data on PFI / PF2 projects which are in procurement, construction or operation annually. The latest dataset is available here - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/private-finance-initiative-and-private-finance-2-projects-2017-summary-data

Offshore Industry: Corporation Tax

Peter Dowd: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many companies received corporation tax relief through the ring-fenced Oil and gas trades: Investment Allowance used against supplementary charge in (a) 2017-18 and (b) 2018-19.

Robert Jenrick: The figure for 2016-17 can be found in HMRC’s January 2019 “Tax relief statistics” publication, available on GOV.UK. This is the latest year for which data is currently available.

Offshore Industry: Corporation Tax

Peter Dowd: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many companies received corporation tax relief through ring-fenced oil and gas trades: tax relief for decommissioning expenditure in (a) 2017-18 and (b) 2018-19.

Robert Jenrick: The figure for 2018-19 can be found in HMRC’s January 2019 “Tax relief statistics” publication, available on GOV.UK. In 2017-18 the rounded number of claimants was the same as the 2018-19 figure. https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/main-tax-expenditures-and-structural-reliefs

Offshore Industry: Corporation Tax

Peter Dowd: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many companies received tax relief for decommissioning expenditure in 2017-18.

Robert Jenrick: The figure for 2018-19 can be found in HMRC’s January 2019 “Tax relief statistics” publication, available on GOV.UK. In 2017-18 the rounded number of claimants was the same as the 2018-19 figure.  https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/main-tax-expenditures-and-structural-reliefs

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Gaming Machines and Loans: Advertising

Alex Sobel: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if he will make an assessment of the effect of the prevalence of advertising of (a) payday loans and (b) gambling machines on the take-up of those products.

Margot James: Advertising in the UK is regulated by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), the industry’s independent regulator, which enforces the Advertising Codes through a system of self-regulation and co-regulation with Ofcom. The Codes incorporate all relevant legislation and sets standards for accuracy and honesty to which advertisers must adhere, including specific conditions on social responsibility. With regard to payday loans, guidance relating to the advertising of high-cost short-term credit products is available to advertisers, to ensure that their advertising is compliant with the Advertising Codes, by being socially responsible and not trivialising the seriousness of taking out a loan. At the same time, the Financial Conduct Authority, responsible for regulation of the consumer credit market including payday lenders since 1 April 2014, has introduced a tough set of detailed rules regarding firms’ promotions and advertisements, which operate alongside the Advertising Codes. The Government does not hold data centrally on the effect of advertising on take-up of payday loans. With regard to gambling machines, the Advertising Codes contain provisions to ensure gambling advertising does not target or appeal particularly to children or young people, or exploit vulnerable people. Gambling companies who advertise in the UK must comply with these rules. In practice, most advertising of gambling products does not involve gaming machines. The Gambling Commission’s Gambling Participation 2017 report showed that 4% of respondents had played on fruit or slot machines in the past four weeks and 1% on machines in bookmakers.

Loneliness: East Midlands

Ben Bradley: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department is taking to help tackle loneliness in the East Midlands.

Mims Davies: Government’s strategy on tackling loneliness in England was launched last October and included a range of new policies that will benefit people across England, including the East Midlands. This includes improving and expanding social prescribing and a new campaign on social wellbeing. Successful applicants to the £11.5m Building Connections Fund were announced in December with seven in the East Midlands area, providing up to £1.5m funding to connect individuals and communities better. These included The (Re:)Generation Factory, delivering befriending services to older residents in Bilborough, Greater Nottingham; and Campus Community Hub, which brings young and older people from the local community together at a YMCA café and allotment site in Derbyshire. In addition £1m new funding has been devoted across England to help communities make better use of their spaces to tackle youth loneliness.; East Midlands projects include City Arts in Nottingham, Right Resolution in Northampton, and Reach Learning Disability.

Arts

Vicky Foxcroft: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what recent assessment he has made of the potential effect on the creative arts sector of the UK leaving the EU without a deal.

Margot James: The creative and cultural industries are one of the UK's greatest success stories, producing an extraordinary level of talent recognised and respected the world over. The UK's decision to leave the EU will not change that. Delivering the deal negotiated with the EU remains the Government’s top priority, but as a responsible Government, we are accelerating no deal preparations to ensure the country is prepared for every eventuality. We are working closely with the creative and cultural sectors to understand the impacts of leaving the EU. The department will continue to build on this engagement to ensure the sectors thrive and flourish.

Openreach: Disclosure of Information

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to his Department's paper, Future Telecoms Infrastructure Review, published in July 2018, when his Department plans to publish proposals for transparency measures required of BT Openreach.

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions his Department has had with BT Group and Openreach on increasing the transparency of its full-fibre deployment plans.

Margot James: The Government's Future Telecoms Infrastructure Review, published in July 2018, set out that greater transparency of build plans, particularly those of Openreach, might have a positive impact on the commercial rollout of full-fibre broadband networks. It also committed the government, as first step, to discussing with BT and Ofcom how such transparency measures might be introduced. Since the FTIR was published, Government has held discussions with Openreach about the transparency of its build plans. On 28th January Openreach voluntarily published a list of towns and cities where it is building or intends to start deploying full fibre in the next 12 months. It also published information for the 14 locations that it had already announced, including a list of specific exchanges where it has already built, where it is currently building and where it intends to start building in the next 3 months. Openreach plans to update this information on a quarterly basis, including for the 11 new towns and cities once this information is available. Further details can be found on the Fibre First pages of Openreach’s website: https://www.homeandbusiness.openreach.co.uk/fibre-first

Broadband: Optical Fibres

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment his Department has made of the risk to (a) alternative full-fibre network providers and (b) the Government’s target of national full-fibre connectivity by 2033 from anti-competitive overbuild of existing networks.

Margot James: The Government’s Future Telecoms Infrastructure Review considered different policy and regulatory approaches that would help create the right conditions to accelerate fibre investment and extend coverage across the whole of the UK. The review concluded that the most effective way to deliver this was to promote competition between fibre networks where possible, supported by changes in the regulatory framework and only intervene in a small proportion of the country that can not support commercial investment.

Football: World Cup

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions he has had with his counterpart in the Irish Government on a joint bid to host the 2030 World Cu; and if he will make a statement.

Mims Davies: The FAs of England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and Ireland are working together to explore the feasibility of a joint bid. UK government officials have been an active partner in those discussions alongside the Devolved Administrations and the Irish Government. No Ministerial meetings with Irish Government counterparts have taken place to date, reflecting the very early stage of this exploratory work.

House of Commons Commission

House of Commons: Security

Dr David Drew: To ask the right hon. Member for Carshalton and Wallington, representing the House of Commons Commission, for what reasons the terms, conditions and rates of overtime pay of House of Commons security staff have been altered.

Tom Brake: The House of Commons Commission has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Northern Ireland Office

Health Services: Northern Ireland

Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what progress she has made in the last 12 months in implementing the Bengoa recommendations for the health service in Northern Ireland.

John Penrose: The provision and delivery of health services is devolved in Northern Ireland, and in the absence of an Executive, it remains the responsibility of the Northern Ireland Department of Health to continue to take decisions in the public interest. The UK Government’s priority is the restoration of a fully functioning devolved government in Northern Ireland, with locally elected and accountable Executive Ministers taking these important decisions. The UK Government does, however, recognise the importance of health service reform in Northern Ireland, and has provided £100 million for health service transformation, as recommended in the Bengoa Report.

Department for Exiting the European Union

Alternative Arrangements Working Group

Deidre Brock: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, which Ministers will attend meetings of the Alternative Arrangements Working Group.

Stephen Barclay: I have met a group of MPs and others known as the 'Alternative Arrangements Working Group'.

Borders: Northern Ireland

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what assessment he has made of the potential financial effects of the backstop on UK trading opportunities with the rest of the world after the UK leaves the EU.

Mr Robin Walker: The UK will be able to negotiate, sign and ratify free trade agreements with rest of world partners and, if the backstop were to come into force following the Implementation Period, implement any elements that do not affect the functioning of the backstop. The backstop is not something that either the UK or the EU would ever want to come into force and, if it were to come into effect, both sides have been clear it should only be in place for a short time. The UK and EU are also legally obliged under the Protocol to use their best endeavours to facilitate trade between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK, recognising the importance of that trade.The Government’s long term economic analysis considers both the costs and benefits of moving to new trading relationships with the EU, and opportunities for ambitious new trade deals with new partners in the rest of the world. The analysis shows that the proposed deal is the best deal available for jobs and our economy that allows us to honour the result of the referendum and realise the opportunities of EU exit. The analysis can be found at the following link: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/760484/28_November_EU_Exit_-_Long-term_economic_analysis__1_.pdf

Alternative Arrangements Working Group

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, if he will publish the names of the non-civil servant attendees at each of the meetings of the Alternative Arrangements Working Group.

Stephen Barclay: Transparency details of my meetings will be released in the normal way in due course.

Alternative Arrangements Working Group

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, whether Shanker Singham has attended any of the meetings of the Alternative Arrangements Working Group.

Stephen Barclay: Transparency details of my meetings, including details of those in attendance will be released in the normal way in due course.

Alternative Arrangements Working Group

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, whether the provision of civil service support to the Alternative Arrangements Working Group complies with the Civil Service Code.

Stephen Barclay: Ministers, including myself, have been meeting a wide range of MPs in various groups and other stakeholders to discuss the Government’s approach to EU Exit. This has included discussion of alternative arrangements to the backstop, following Parliament’s indication of support for such a position.The Civil Service supports the Government in developing and implementing its policies. In this context, it is proper for civil servants to support Ministers in conducting these meetings. No support has been extended to backbench MPs, or other individuals or groups outwith Government.

Alternative Arrangements Working Group

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, whether opposition MPs have been invited to join the Alternative Arrangements Working Group.

Stephen Barclay: It is for the backbench MPs making up the ‘Alternative Arrangements Working Group’ to determine that group’s composition. Since the Meaningful Vote the Government has been engaging with MPs from across the House and stands ready to engage with any MPs who have proposals on alternative arrangements.

Alternative Arrangements Working Group

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, whether copies of the Institute for Economic Affairs' report entitled, Plan A+: creating a prosperous post-Brexit UK, were distributed at meetings of the the Alternative Arrangements Working Group.

Stephen Barclay: No.

Brexit: Northern Ireland

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, how much money from the public purse has been spent on assessing the viability of alternative arrangements for the Irish border.

Stephen Barclay: Consideration of policy options for the UK’s orderly withdrawal from the European Union have been resourced from Departmental budgets and no figures are available as to the cost of consideration of specific options.

Alternative Arrangements Working Group

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, how much time the Civil Service plans to allocate towards supporting the Alternative Arrangements Working Group.

Stephen Barclay: The Civil Service is not supporting the ‘Alternative Arrangements Working Group’. As is usual, civil servants do support me in my meetings with MPs and others.

Borders: Northern Ireland

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what estimate he has made of the amount of time that the Civil Service has spent on assessing the viability of alternative arrangements for the Irish border for when the UK leaves the EU.

Stephen Barclay: There is no specific estimate of time which has been spent on assessing the viability of alternative arrangements for the Irish border to current Government policy. Since the beginning of the process, civil servants have been looking at options, and will continue to support ministers in the development of Government policy.

Borders: Northern Ireland

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what proposals for alternative arrangements for the Irish backstop are being considered.

Stephen Barclay: The Political Declaration is clear that the UK and EU should work together and exchange information on facilitative arrangements and technologies. This sits alongside the UK and the EU’s existing commitment to developing alternative arrangements to replace the backstop.The Government plans to continue discussion with members from around the House in the coming days to finalise proposals with which to go back to the EU. While technology could play a part in this, and alternative arrangements are being looked at, these must be ones that can be made to work for the particular circumstances of Northern Ireland.